The Gene Genie
by losttimelady
Summary: My name’s Gene Hunt, I ‘ad an accident and I woke up in 2007. Am I mad, in a coma, or forward in time? What ever ‘appened it’s like I’ve landed on a different planet. Now maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get ‘ome. Rating's only cos its Gene Hunt
1. Prologue

My name's Gene Hunt, I 'ad an accident and I woke up in 2007. Am I mad, in a coma, or forward in time? What ever 'appened it's like I've landed on a different planet. Now maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get 'ome.

What if the Gene Genie and Sam where to trade places? Gene Hunt get shot forward in time instead of Sammy-boy getting thrown back in time? Well, let's find out. This is set to be an epic, but it'll be interesting to see where it goes!

_As usual, credit where credits due. I don't own _Life on Mars _and I fear that Gene Hunt would come round my house and stamp on my toys if I did try and take credit. (More likely my latest fanfiction doodles, but hay!)_

Prologue

The screeching of breaks and blare of police sirens marked the start of a police raid two months in the making. Heading the team was DCI Gene Hunt, Manchester A Division's finest, in his unashamedly gold Ford Cortina. Several cars full of plods and plonks jumped out of a half dozen squad cars and surrounded the area. DC Chris Skelton and DS Ray Carling climbed out of the back of the Cortina and the trio marched up to the front door.

It had taken CID long enough to track down the 'Bastard'. Gene was eager, maybe too eager to get the guilty party behind bars. It had taken more door-to-door enquiries, and following more obscure leads than he could have stomached. But now he had a twenty-four carat tip-off, and his gut-feeling alarm bell was a church peel.

This was it.

"Kramer!" Gene yelled and getting no instant reply threw his weight at the door making the lock jump and the door swing cleanly open. "Kramer!" Gene bellowed over the sound of heavy bass and inaudible lyrics. Spotting a dark figure down the end of the hallway Gene made a run at him and Kramer headed for the back door.

Gene sped after him, almost instantly out of breath, _ruddy cigarettes!_ Hunt thought to himself and he began to gain on Kramer. "Stop you bastard!" Gene yelled but Kramer didn't take the hint and ran towards the main road. Somewhere, drifting from one of the houses, David Bowie was singing about _Jean Genie, _but neither the pursued nor the pursuer noticed. Kramer dashed across the road and Gene followed in hot pursuit

Gene heard the screech of breaks, the crack of bones, his own. Then the blackness consumed him.

_Ok, I know it's short, but as you can see I'm just setting the scene, consider it the bit before the credits in a TV show! Please review though!_

_Chapter One to come soon. If you are a avid reader of my fics you will be aware that I am, at the mo, in the dieing chapters of _Seeing Double_ so I may not be very quick about the up-dates until I finish that._

_Ta for reading._


	2. Chapter 1

_Well, lets guess what's happened…_

_(Oh and ta for the reviews I've got already!)_

Chapter 1

"And that was _The Jean Gene_, a bit of classic glam-rock for you guys who remember those days! Coming up next, _I can't decide_ by the Scissor Sisters…" The voice of some distant, nearby source pierced into Gene's mind. He opened one eye slowly, then the second. Rolling over and standing up in one movement he glanced around the area. _Road works? _Gene asked himself, spotting several trenches in the road. _How long had he been knocked out with out anyone noticing? _He shook his head, what a daft thought, worthy of Chris, he mussed. "Wait, hell! Where's that bastard!" Gene exclaimed, looking around for Kramer.

Feeling lost he headed over to the car that he assumed was the one who had hit him. Coming from the car, very loudly, a song he'd never heard blared at full volume. Looking inside the trim was all plastic and greasy looking textiles. A voice for the other side of the car made Gene jump. "Didn't you see the signs sir? Road works." The female voice intrigued Gene. He was being addressed by a skirt? The owner of the voice moved into the view of Gene and he was taken aback, a plonk in a odd bright yellow vest, trousers and armed with plod trappings, but a plonk all the same.

"Is this your vehicle sir?" the WPC asked, eying Gene carefully.

"No, I drive a Cortina." Gene mussed and the plonk raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have any identification sir?" The plonk pressed, unconvinced by Gene's fruitless answer. Gene smiled at that, _time to put a plonk in her place._ He tapped down his pockets and found his police badge; handing it over proudly, the WPC opened it.

"I'm terribly sorry Detective Inspector." She said and Gene almost snatched back his badge and stared at it.

"I'm a DCI! And what are you? Some poshed-up plonk?" Gene said, and before the WPC could splutter an answer Gene broke into a run.

"-I'm following my feelings Sam, I think there's more to Raimes, what if he's trying to impress someone, what if he knows the killer-" A girl walked past in haste and Gene knocked into her. The woman gave him a glare as she picked up the small phone thing off the floor.

"Sorry love." Gene said with an apologetic smile.  
The woman raised an eyebrow and clamped the phone device back to her ear, "Sorry, ah, I've lost Raimes. I'll see you back at the station-" The girl stopped as Gene walked on, he turned round to see her look around, at a loss.

Gene blinked, _Raimes?_ That was the name of the woman who gave CID a tip-off about Kramer. Gene shook his head slowly, _what was going on?_

There was only one thing he could do, head back to A Division. But looking around, he felt like the world had gone insane in, for what it felt to him, only brief absence.

_Next chapter up soon. The clash of the titans, Gene verses Sam!_


	3. Chapter 2

_Well, we know where Gene is, we know where Sam is, we know where Chris and Ray wont be… Let's see how Gene takes it…_

Chapter 2

"What in the hell?!" the Gene Genie muttered for the umpteenth time when he got to A Division. He headed up the stairs to the entrance after passing several cars that looked less like squad cars but Jam Sandwiches! Gone where the half dozen bicycles, instead several bright yellow motorbikes where propped up and chained in their ranks. He'd even noticed the graffiti had changed. He didn't know who Wayne Ronnie was, but he didn't play for City and that's all he cared about! Walking through the main entrance of A Division he noticed how, white everything was. It was less the _domain of Phyllis_, more hotel entrance.

Gene stormed up the stairs, determined that where he reached CID the cigarette smoke would come as rolling mist on the ceiling and the dank smell of paperwork would fill his lungs.

He was almost blinded by the light.

Gene blinked. Then screwed up his eyes. "Hell and…" He whispered, trailing off as he realised inadvertently he'd attracted the attention of the whole department. "DC Mark Swift." One fresh-faced lad said to Gene offering a hand. Gene looked at it as if it would bite him and Mark awkwardly brought his hand back to his side. "They said you'd been in an accident, sir?" Mark questioned and Gene just stared. This was not _his_ department. "The WPC on beat said you where in a bad way…" Mark trailed off; Gene's stare could have boiled blood.

"I dunno who the sodding hell you think you all are. But this is my department." Gene said in a low whisper that made heads turn. "So you can drop the sick joke, and tell those Plonks to go back to the next floor." Gene said waving a hand towards several female detectives.

"Take it easy sir; we'll get one of the medical staff to take a look at you." One of the females said and Gene lost it. Taking a swing at Mark with his fist, Mark dodged lightly, the second blow Gene aimed though hit home with a crack of bones.

"You bastard!" Mark spluttered, but Gene didn't abate raising his fists again to strike.

Gene spotted a man walk out an office in the corner. The man commanded the room with such a presence that even Gene took notice. This was clearly the man 'in charge'. Gene crossed the whole of CID towards the man in five strides.

"Surprise me, what year's it supposed to be?" Gene grunted and before bothering to wait for the reply grabbed the man by the lapels and dragged him into a corner where his office would have been.

"I don't care if you all think I've got concussion, but I don't give a tart's furry cup if half my brains are falling out, this is my kingdom, so stop acting like king of the jungle." Gene said slamming the man against the wall. "And who," Gene said enforcing the point by slamming him into the wall again, "The bloody hell are you?"

The man looked coolly into Gene's eyes.

"Sam Tyler, your DCI and it's 2007." Sam said grabbing Gene's wrists and in a flamboyant show pinned Gene against the wall face first. "Better start acting nice, sir, or you will be answering to internal affairs." Sam whispered in Gene's ear before letting go. Gene rubbed his wrists as Sam disappeared over the other side of the office.

His eyes followed Sam for a moment but then Gene noticed something that required a little more of his attention. The girl who he had ran into, dark haired and dressed in a suit, walked into the office space and spotting Gene headed over.

"Err, sorry again love." Gene muttered as she approached.

"DI Maya Roy, sir." Maya said in level tones, Gene almost hoped she hadn't seen the little incident with Sam just then, but he wasn't going to hope for anything right now.

Gene took another long look at the office. Gone where the piles of files, two ashtrays per desk and chewing gum in every bin. There where cream coloured TV screens on every desk and the whole thing felt less like a CID and more like the flight deck of the _Enterprise_. The whole room had an antiseptic taste about it and Gene wondered how anyone could work in a set from _Doctor Who_. _It had to be some sort of joke it had to be_.

Maya went over to talk to Sam quietly and after a minute Sam walked over to Gene. "Right, you are senior officer, for now so I'm leaving you in charge. I have better things to do than have punch-ups with new DI's." Sam said voice like gravel. Maya trailed after Sam as he left and Gene suddenly felt very self-conscious. _I could murder a fag_, Gene thought and tapped his pocket down for a packet and a lighter. He took out a cigarette and began to light up, "Sir," Said one of the female detectives, "No Smoking, ban came in last week." And Gene felt like screaming. Gene caught Mark's eye, he still didn't look happy, the puff, _couldn't he take a punch_? "Shall we begin?" Mark said levelling.

This already wasn't going well.

_To be continued, obviously… let me know what you think so far._


	4. Chapter 3

_Well what can you say but sarcastic clap 'nice one Gene'! Nah, he's had a rough ride already, so lets bring back a common theme in _Life on Mars_ to this fic_. What?_ I hear you ask, ah well that would be telling…_

_(Thank you for all the reviews I've had so far. Sorry I've taken so long to update but I've been away, that is to say been away from a PC with Microsoft Word!)_

Chapter 3

"Right, err, what have we got?" Gene asked carefully, suddenly robbed of his confidence, glancing carefully round the room as he sat down.

"Murder, similar to a case last year. Girl kidnapped, held for 30 hours, no sexual assault, strangled with bootlace." Mark said and Gene looked up, _where had he heard that before? _"Our current lead is a man called Collin Raimes he-"

"-Shut up!" Gene said sharply cutting over Mark.

"Sir?" Mark asked but Gene stood up and began to pace, not something he did often.

"Twice, twice he's killed?" Gene pressed looking round.

"Yes, does it matter?" Mark asked and Gene shot him a poisonous glace.

Gene felt totally confused. _That was Kramers trademark! _Forensics had found pipe-lagging under the nails of the victims. If this really was 2007 then…

"You, Swift, where any man-made fibres found on the girl?" Gene asked.

"Yes, under the nails, but like I say, the suspect is Collin Raimes."

"What? He's just a little kid!" Gene said with continuing agitation, he could already feel himself sobering up a little more than he was used to. Mark gave Gene a sideways glance.

"Maybe you should go home, sir, the officer on duty will get someone to take you to your accommodation." Mark said carefully, this guy was the original loose cannon.

Gene nodded carefully. He needed a drink, he needed a smoke and most importantly he needed to get his head together. He paced slowly out of the room. Turning, he eyed every member of the department in one, before leaving in a hurry.

The on-duty officer was, to Gene's relief a bloke. He was getting sick of high-ranking Plonks. He handed Gene a key and a letter with an address. "DCI Tyler sorted it out. He saw a flat for rent in his block. Queen Mary Road, ok?"

"What? But they're all Mills." Gene exclaimed.

"Yeah, converted sir." The plod said before rolling his eyes as Gene turned away.

Gene found his flat to be just like everything else in this mad place, an installation from the Tate Modern. Not that _he'd_ ever been to the Tate Modern… he gave himself the guided tour. It was pre-furnished in Magnolia walls and Terracotta carpet. Gene walked into the bathroom and caught his image in the mirror, and had a double take. His cloths had changed and he'd not even noticed!

Gone where his Camel coat, grey trousers with un-matching belt and shoes, kipper tie and just slightly pinstriped shirt. Instead he wore a grey trench coat, white shirt with a plain blue tie, mercifully not some sissy slim job, black polished shoes and equally polished black belt. He felt like someone straight out of _Get Carter._

Gene emptied his pockets onto the living room table and after switching the TV in the far corner on, sat down heavily on the settee. He glanced over at the show, the midday news, finally something he recognised! Gene leaned back into the settee and after lighting up a well-earned fag began to doze as he listened to the days horrors.

"-and in other news, Gene Hunt has been put into a deep coma after the accident, we're not sure how long he could be under, the longer it is-" Gene's eyes snapped open and he fell in front of the TV,

"What did you say?!" Gene yelled, realising how mad it was to be doing so. At that the news readers, a man and woman, both dressed as sharp as a knife stared deep into Gene's eyes.

"You get better 'k Guv." The female reporter spoke with Chris' voice.

"Yeah, we bought you a bottle of scotch for when you come round." The male reporter said with Ray's voice. Gene stared wide-eyed at the set,

"-Don't worry he'll come round, and now the weather-" Gene switched off the TV quickly and rubbed his face over with his hands, _what was happening to him?_

_Next time on _The Gene Genie_, Gene tries to do some explaining and Sam and Gene get to know each other a little better… _


	5. Chapter 4

_Put your bets in for what happens next, it's Chapter 4 time…_

_(Thank you as normal for all the reviews I received for the last chapter, it's always a great boost)._

Chapter 4

Gene woke from his fitful dosing to the sound of knocking on the door. Gene could see through the window the early evening orange glow in the sky and guessed it was about seven O'clock. He hauled himself up, surprisingly, a task that required all his strength and answered the door. Distantly, in the back of his mind, he mused that if it had been him knocking he'd have kicked in the door by now.

"Yeah?" Gene asked and Sam replied with a stern face.

"They've found another body, make y'self useful, c'mon." Sam said. Gene grabbed his coat and keys and hurried after Sam as he left as quickly as he'd come. Gene, by any stretch of the imagination, was not used to being ordered around by a bloke younger and higher ranking than him.

Sam's car was a far cry from Gene's Cortina. It was big, flash, and silver and for the second time that day Gene thought of _Star Trek_. He read the badge on the bonnet before getting in and almost marvelled at the array of gadgets on the consol.

"Jeep?" Gene asked and Sam nodded,

"Not a fan of four by fours?" Sam asked as he began to plug numbers into the phone strapped to the consol before driving off. "This is DCI Tyler, heading to Satchmore Road, requesting SOCO backup." Sam said to seemingly no one until the reply came.

"Yessir, DI Roy and DC Swift are already at the scene." The voice came back.

"Cheers." Sam said before pressing a button to hang up.

"Two murders, by clearly the same guy within weeks of each other, what do you think?" Sam asked and Gene shot Sam a look. Gene leant forward as if thinking then sat back, eyes half closed. Sam glanced over at Gene and his eyes instantly snapped open.

"Right, here's the deal. Half a day ago I was workin' on a case just like this. And 'ere I am, 30 years later, havin' the same case read back to me. Which makes me either mad, a time traveller, an' goodness help me if that's so, or I'll wake up soon and this has just been a dream." Gene said and Sam gave Gene another sideways glance.

"Tell me about it?" Sam asked and Gene smiled.

"The guy's name was Edward Kramer, a freak, mentally disturbed as you'd have it. We got a tip-off from a neighbour Mrs Raimes."

"Raimes?"

"Yeah, I even met little Collin, odd kid, anyway, she told us about Kramer, we sort of put two and two together…" Gene paused, waiting for Sam's reply; Gene already knew he'd be seeing the inside of the _funny farm_ within a week _so what did it matter what he said._

Sam shifted a little in his seat, "I don't believe this! I'm listening to the raving of a concussed DI." Sam muttered and nearly stalled the car as they drove off from the set of traffic lights they'd reached. Gene heard every word and choice his words carefully before speaking.

"Look Sammy-boy, in 1973 Kramer was as guilty as sin and don't you think it odd that it's only just 'appened again, Tenner says he's out of prison."

Sam stared at Gene. He'd not been called 'Sammy' since he was ten. But more to the point Gene's theory did make sense. Could someone who was concussed think that something that had happened years ago had only just happened? _Gene could have worked in A Division in 1973_, Sam reasoned. Gene certainly looked very roughed up, tired and had the faint smell of Scotch about him that implied _borderline alcoholic_. For now Sam made up his mind…

"It's worth a try. But right now we need to find out who this poor girl is." Sam said conclusively as they pulled up on Satchmore Road and Gene felt a familiar sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Sarah McDonald went missing three days ago." Maya explained to Sam and Gene who both looked on silently at the poor girl at their feet, half covered by nasty blue sheeting.

"She could have been no more than 17." Sam whispered, trying to contain his anger.

"Bastard." Gene swore freely and not one of the other Detectives said anything against it, they had all been thinking it too.

Gene felt a total div having to wear stupid latex gloves as they did a quick scan of the area. He nearly had voiced his opinion loudly when he was first handed them with the instant thought of _they can go to hell_. But a steely glare from Sam stopped him from saying a word. _What was with that guy? Some sort of mind reader!_ Gene thought to himself as he kicked around a few bricks as a half-hearted attempt to look for evidence, much to the horror of the forensic team. "There's nothing more we can do tonight." Sam said as the light began to fade to almost nothing.

Ripping off the gloves and sighing loudly Gene followed Sam to his car. Sam bid Maya a friendly farewell but Maya didn't return the pleasantries. "So what's going on between you and that Skirt?" Gene asked as they drove off.

"Pardon?!" Sam spat.

"Y'know, Mara."

"Maya?" Sam half questioned, half corrected.

"Yeah her." Gene pressed; he enjoyed the smug knowledge that he could twig things that people didn't think where obvious.

"We've just broken up, she moved out a week ago." Sam said slowly, almost tearful.

"I'm sorry." Gene said, surprising himself at his sensitivity. Normally he'd tell people to suck it up, he did that frequently to Chris!

"What about you?" Sam asked.

"Wife, back, back home." Gene said, it dawning on him for the first time that over 30 years separated them.

Gene stifled a shuddering breath, 30 years suddenly felt like a very, very long time.

_Something worrying bleeds through from 1973 and Sam and Gene close the case. That's all still to come on _The Gene Genie

_Ok chaps, I need some help. As we all know the Test-card Girl was a regular occurrence in the _Life on Mars, _so obviously at some point I will need a modern equivalent, any ideas? All credit will be given if I use the idea. Ta!_


	6. Chapter 5

_Things can't get anymore confusing for Gene, or could they? Welcome, dear readers, to Chapter 5…_

_(I say it too often, but thank you for all the reviews I've got so far. I really do love hearing what people think! (good or bad!!))_

Chapter 5

Gene arrived early in CID. He was used to always being first in and last to leave so it came as a shock to find DCI Tyler standing by the coffee machine downing the dregs of his first mug.

"I don't suppose you where show to your desk." Sam said heading over to a bemused Gene.

"No." Gene said plainly and Sam tried to ignore the sarcastic undertones in his Inspector's voice. Sam led Gene over to a desk near Sam's office and Gene sat down heavily on the chair.

"Your system login is there," Sam said waving a hand casually at a piece of paper on the computer keyboard. "The password is 'password' for now, best change it. You internal email account has been set-up and your timesheet is a document on the desktop." Sam said at the speed of light before heading over to his office. Gene stared blankly at the TV-box-thing in front of him.

"Space, the final frontier…" Gene muttered to himself as he gazed at his reflection in the black computer screen.

The most hi-tech thing Gene had ever used was a scientific calculator, which as far as Gene was concerned was a calculator that divided and multiplied as well as added. Gene spotted one thing on his desk that felt familiar, a biro. Picking it up he looked around for some sort of case file to add to after last night's victim had been found. Finding not even a scrap of paper in the immediate vicinity that looked a bit like case notes Gene admitted defeat and headed over to Sam's office, with the username paper held in his fist.

Gene knocked once, and then pushed inside before waiting for a reply. Sam looked up from his computer and half smiled. "Detective?" Sam asked carefully, it seemed already that this was the kind of guys that you'd never be on first name terms with.

"What the bloody 'ell is this all about?" Gene asked throwing the paper onto Sam's desk. Sam glanced down at the paper and frowned a little.

"You really don't know." Sam asked and Gene leant oh-so casually against the doorframe, his back to an empty office space.

"All I know is that this place is less like a CID and more like the flight deck of the _Enterprise_." Gene said.

_He'd been thinking it since he'd got there, so why not say it?_

"Alright, maybe if I show you it'll jog your memory." Sam said getting up from his desk.

"What memory? You still think I'm concussed?!" Gene asked but Sam pretended not to hear.

"Right, ok, left click on the text box and enter the username, then press _enter_." Sam said after it had already taken Gene five minutes to switch the _damn machine_ on.

"Left click what?!" Gene spat and Sam dutifully showed Gene what to do.

"Y'know you'd do well to be a little less hot-headed." Sam muttered and Gene shot his DCI a poisonous look.

"Back where I come from Sammy-boy, I gave the orders not follow them."

"The Metropolitan police force." Sam said bluntly.

"What? I-hold on, what?!" Gene said; trying to keep his cool for the first time since he'd arrived there.

"Well that's where it says you're from," Sam said, almost smugly, "I had a look at your transfer documents."

Gene sighed. _Ok, so he was now a DI from London in 2007, instead of a DCI from Manchester in 1973._

"Fine, ok…" Gene muttered before Sam resumed showing Gene how to work the computer.

By the time most of the department had turned in Gene had grasped the basic workings of the computer and had begun to happily type up a report about last nights findings. Once Sam had explained the system as a virtual filing cabinet Gene began to understand the concept a little easier, although he did ask where, therefore, he was meant to keep a bottle of scotch, to which Sam sighed heavily but smiled anyway.

Gene, already sick of typing after half an hour, decided to do the first bit of detective work since he'd got there and picked up the phone to ring the prison where he assumed Kramer would have been sent. Picking up the receiver he expectantly listened for the voice of the operator. Instead a long dialling tone was all he could hear. Turning round to the desk behind him, "What happened to the operator?" Gene asked carefully to DC Swift who rolled his eyes, clearly Gene's backward 70's notions had already got round the department and Mark headed around to Gene's desk to show Gene where to find the Police data base and the phone numbers he wanted.

By mid-morning an argument between Maya and Sam, that Gene felt sure he'd heard part of the day before, was again in full swing.

"That's three people dead Sam!" Maya snapped.

"No! Even if you're right, and Raimes does know the killer… He's dangerous, the killer, is, dangerous!" Sam retorted, trying to keep his voice low.

"My feeling is-"

"-What good are feelings here?!" Sam cut in and Gene looked up,

_Time to make a move._

"Oi, Dorothy," Gene addressed Sam as he stood up and Sam looked round, stunned. "I don't say it often but," Gene turned to Maya, "Y'right love. If you can't use a bit of gut feeling, what the bloody hell else are you gunna do? 'Ere." Gene headed Sam a scrawny bit of paper.

"I used the wonderful invention called a telephone and found out our friend Kramer is out of prison, i.e. a year and a half ago." Gene said and Sam's eyes widened.

_He'd been right?!_

"So, Guv, what are you going to do about it?" Gene said to Sam. Gene felt odd calling Sam _Guv_ but Gene got the feeling that he deserved the title. Sam commanded the same level of respect and authority that Gene did over thirty years prior.

"Do? We find out if he's home." Sam said and almost laughed.

That could have been a line from a TV show.

_Time to bring back an old favourite for _Life on Mars, _kicking in doors! That's still to come in the next chapter of _The Gene Genie

_Thanks for all the 'modern test-card girl' ideas! More suggestions greatly appreciated._


	7. Chapter 6

_Haven't we done this bit before? Time for Chapter 6…._

_(Thank you one and all for your reviews and ideas for a modern Test-card girl. To name names they where: __Diego Varen__Mizz Molko__Suicidal-Emo-Bunny__icanhearthedrums__ and __Cat Yuy__ who gave their ideas! And to those who reviewed, again thank you!!)_

Chapter 6

The screeching of breaks and blare of police sirens marked the start of a police raid two years in the making. Heading the team was DCI Sam Tyler, Manchester A Division's finest, in a borrowed silver Police Ford Mondeo. Several cars full of uniformed officers jumped out of a half dozen squad cars and surrounded the area. DI Gene Hunt, DC Mark Swift and DI Maya Roy climbed out of the back of the Mondeo and the quartet marched up to the front door.

Gene strode past Sam and banged loudly on the door. "Kramer! Open up!" Gene bellowed.

_Hadn't he been at this party before?_

Sam stepped up next to Gene as they waited for a reply. "To hell with this!" Gene exclaimed and taking a step back kicked all his weight at the door, which, the same as 30 years before gave way with ease.

Hay you should be doing that!" Sam called after Gene as they rushed in.

_Music's on, he's home. _Sam thought as he was near deafened by _Atomic Rooster._

"Kramer you bastard!" Gene called over the music, even Sam who was feet away from him, could scarcely make out what Gene had said.

The pair headed upstairs, following the noise. This was a part of the house Gene hadn't had time last time to explore. Pushing into what the detectives assumed was a bedroom they found a record player that Gene stepped forward to turn off. The room was dark and dusty and there wasn't a sound to be heard. Except one, the low moan of a girl in the corner. "Maya!" Sam called out down the stairs to which the Detective gave a shout and came running. The girl cowered in the corner of the room, wrists tied but apparently unharmed.

"Where's Sarah?" The girl pleaded to Sam as he bent to untie her. Sam's face fell. Maya moved in close and helped the girl to her feet. She was no more than 9 with long blonde hair and dressed in a red skirt and top.

"What's your name?" Maya soothed keeping the girl close.

"Lucy McDonald." The girl muttered and Gene closed his eyes.

_Her sister, Bugger it!_

Sam looked over to Gene but spotted something more important. "Kramer!" Sam yelled and Gene darted round to see an older version of the Kramer he knew cowling in the doorway. Kramer made a break for it but Gene was too fast for him and had him doubling in pain after a swift blow to the kidneys. "You?!" Kramer said looking up at a triumphant Gene.

"Yes, me." Gene said plainly before dragging Kramer to his feet and down the stairs to a squad car outside.

"Interview commence…" Sam began and Gene rolled his eyes and stood up to leave. He'd caught the bastard and the last thing he was going to do was sit though the formalities. The room gave him the creeps anyway. It was too antiseptic. And he didn't like the idea of his every word and move caught on the video camera that was strapped to the ceiling. He was used to a room filled with random junk and a table and chairs thrown in for good measure to do interviews in, not a room when the sum total of furniture was the sum total of the room. The whole place felt too bright as well. In Gene's opinion criminal interviews where a dark business, people that where evil didn't deserve to see the light of day anyway. Why let them see it now? As Gene left Kramer shot Gene another disbelieving look and Gene just smiled.

Gene headed out into the office space and found Maya. "What's 'appened to Lucy?" He asked softly, he didn't want anyone thinking he'd gone soft or something.

"She's gone home. Apparently she went missing with her sister." Maya said.

"All the things the forensic squad don't tell you." Gene muttered and Maya nodded.

"Hay, Swift. Gimme a hand with this." Gene said to Mark pointing to his computer.

"Sure." Mark said getting up for his desk heavily, "What?"

"Do you have past staff files on this thing?" Gene asked and Mark nodded.

"Yeah, just search under the staff data base." Mark said and Gene shot him a look that made Mark sit down and show Gene what to do.

Mark left Gene to it as quickly as he could. But Gene wanted that, two days and already he was considered a nut case, he didn't want to look even more of a div plugging his own name into the thing. After some hesitation he hit _enter_ and the staff record for 1973 popped up. He smiled to see names he recognised. Chris, Ray, Phyllis, that good-looking plonk Cartwright from the floor above that Chris fancied, then he saw his name. Clicking it, he noticed several reports attached, including one written just days after his accident.

_DCI Gene Hunt (late), killed on duty in pursuit of Edward Kramer, later charged with three counts of murder. The DCI sustained critical injuries after a blow from a car and although rushed to hospital was pronounced dead on arrival. DCI Frank Morgan of C Division Hyde has become DCI Hunt's replacement._

_DCI Frank Morgan_

Gene read the document, eyes wide. He was alive! He was here and more importantly he'd heard voices, Chris and Ray, saying he was in hospital, he'd heard a doctor! Gene covered his mouth with his hands for fear that otherwise he'd scream.

_What the bloody hell was going on…_

Arriving home late and collapsed almost instantly on the sofa, mind reeling, and switched on the TV. An odd cartoon thing was on, with bright yellow people and odd accents which Gene guessed as American. One of the characters, a little girl in an orange dress with spiky hair was taking to her mother, a lady with stupid blue hair, about something Gene didn't bother to listen to as he began to doze off.

"Liar, liar, liar, liar, right Gene?" A girl's voice pierced Gene's mind and interrupted his fragile dreams…

_Ah, I thought that was a good place to leave it, guess who it is guys. Find out if you're right in the next episode of _The Gene Genie.


	8. Chapter 7

_Thank you once again for the reviews I have received. Many of the reviews I have got have touched on the fact that according to the report Gene is dead in 1973… lets see…_

_Welcome to Chapter 7…_

Chapter 7

Gene opened one eye, then the other to find himself in total darkness. The only meagre light came from the TV screen. Filling almost all of it the upper chest and head of the stupid yellow girl look out onto the room. "It's all lies. Six foot under, bashed your head, Car has hit you, now they all say you're…?" The girl left her rhyme hanging, begging Gene to finish it.

Gene stood up and stumbled over to the screen. "I'm not dead!" He screamed, livid.

"You can talk and move and write and sing, but you're now stuck here not doing a thing." The girl teased as Gene moved closer. She leaned in towards Gene and he jumped back.

"Leave me be!" Gene yelled looking at a now blank, black television screen.

Gene turned back to the settee to see only blackness with an all too real yellow girl suspended in the nothingness. Turning to look back at the TV he found it gone and only darkness advancing. "You can only be one thing Gene, awake or asleep, dead or alive, here or there." The girl whispered as if it was a secret. Gene closed his eyes, "It's just a dream!" He announced to himself.

"Six foot under, bashed your head, Car has hit you, now they all say you're dead!" The girl taunted in a sing-song voice.

Gene awoke, half blinded by sweat from his forehead. Sitting up he looked at his hands and found that they where shaking. "What the bloody hell was that?" Gene whispered to himself, recalling the girl. Even his voice was shaking with an odd resonance, several tones higher than his usual voice. Rubbing his hands over his face he stood up to find his coat and a badly needed fag. It had been the first time in a long while since he'd woken up alone. Taking a shuddering drag of smoke he hoped it would stop the pain of missing his wife. For a woman he would openly admit to taking for granted he still loved her deeply, and not just out of necessity.

Finding some scraps of food in the cupboards he made himself a pitiful breakfast of toast and coffee after he'd had a shower and an equally needed shave. Pulling on his coat over just a shirt and forgetting a tie he felt a little more like himself although he knew to expect raised eyebrows by the Lloyds of London look-alikes in CID. He still looked twice as smart as he was used to, but he wondered how long that would last since he'd never leant how to use an iron.

Gene arrived early again in CID and made his way to his desk. Not even DCI Tyler had punched in yet and Gene smiled,

_That kid wouldn't last a day in 1973._

Gene switched on his computer and surprised even himself that he could remember what to do. Without warning the phone on his desk rang with an electric ring and Gene swiftly picked up. "DCI –DI Hunt." Gene corrected.

"Boss, you'd hate our temporary DCI, Morgan. He's told us we've gotta record interviews-" It was Chris and Gene felt his throat go dry. He opened his mouth to speak but not even a whisper can out.

"Yeah, and he threatened to have me suspended when I punched Kramer in the interview." Ray said in hushed tones, half ashamed, half proud.

"You just get better soon Guv. They say if we talk t'ya, it'll help. It's City verses United next week we'll let you know Guv." Chris said, "See y'soon Boss-" Suddenly the conversation cut out.

"_Please hang up and try again._" Said a painfully false female voice from down the line and Gene put the receiver down slowly.

"Crikey Gene, you look like a dead man." Sam said and Gene's face fell,

_After what I read yesterday, that could all be too true._

"What's happened to Kramer?" Gene asked, still getting used to having to ask for information and not just getting it without asking.

"He's been charged and is enjoying a penthouse suite in the cells downstairs." Sam made the last part drip with sarcasm

_Hay maybe this is my kinda Inspector after all_, Gene thought, smiling to himself.

"Ace Sammy-boy." Gene said, "Glad to know I'm of help."

Sam nodded slightly.

_Gene was defiantly the strangest DI he'd ever met._

Gene spent the rest of the day filling out paperwork.

_Had Police work always been this boring?_ Gene questioned, _or had he been too wrapped up in being important to notice._

It was true that most of the time he wasn't kicking in nonces or other such shady jobs of the work he'd be telling Chris not to be a div or having in kip in his office…

"Fancy a pint?" Sam asked Gene, making him start. Gene looked at the clock,

"Five at last!" Gene exclaimed and Sam rolled his eyes.

"So...?" Sam pressed. Gene didn't need asking twice. It had been the first sensible or logical thing he'd been asked since he'd got there.

"What'll it be Pet?" The girl behind the bar of _The railway arms _asked, she had a distinctly Northern accent, Newcastle he guessed.

"Diet coke for me Nicola, and?" Sam said turning to Gene.

"Whiskey, large." Gene said as Nicola began to sort out Sam's drink.

"What's a nice skirt like you doing in a place like this?" Gene asked as Sam moved away, nodding towards the crowd of half-cut plods.

"Waiting for my student loan, Chemistry degree." Nicola said, ignoring the sexist remark, and Gene smiled.

"I 'ad a nephew who took that, odd lad." Gene mussed and Nicola smiled at Gene's sideways anecdote.

"A tell ya, I could tell you every chemical in that," She nodded at Gene's drink, "But I wouldn't be able to tell you why it does that." She said nodding towards the rabble of drinkers, just about drunk enough to crash a car, sitting behind Gene.

"One of life's great mysteries." Gene said, smiling.

"I 'aven't seen you around before. You new?" Nicola asked and Gene nodded.

"DCI- no, DI Gene Hunt." Gene said offering his free hand across the bar.

"You sound like a man who doesn't know who he is." Nicola commented, accent gone.

"Maybe I don't." Gene mused, not meaning to say it out loud.

"Well, I tell you something Inspector, I dunno who you are, but you seem ok to me." Nicola said and Gene half smiled.

_Oh if only she knew._

"_I'll ask again!" Gene said throwing a punch at the suspect's face, the dust in _Lost and Found_ swirling around his hand in a flurry._

"_A told ya, I was at home, all night. I've got a wife, a kid!" The man screamed, blinded by pain._

"_Far cry from your last answer!" Gene said, "Glad to get the truth!" He finished before punching the man in the stomach making the suspect double in pain._

_One of his less shining and chivalrous moments by far._

"Maybe it should stay that way. Most people don't like my work face." Gene said and surprisingly Nicola laughed.

"I'm sure they don't!" She said through giggles, "But the job ain't who you are."

Gene sat in silence.

_For now, what else did he have but the job?_

_Thank you for reading this chapter. Hope you liked it. If you did, let me know, if you didn't, tell me what was wrong! All comments gladly accepted._

_Still to come on _The Gene Genie_, some explanations are needed and a new case teaches Gene a thing or two about policing…_


	9. Chapter 8

_I'm sure you're all wondering what the heck is going on here. He's hearing voices, good and bad, seeing things that can't be real, but he's got a job to do… well we can't have the Gene Genie having a day off can we?_

_(Thank you one and all for reading and if you did so reviewing)_

Chapter 8

Gene woke up in the early hours of the morning, head throbbing.

_Either alcohol was stronger in 2007 or he'd finally discovered his limit._

Sighing heavily Gene heaved himself up from the settee. It was the second night he'd slept there and already it was doing blue murder to his back. Groaning loudly he staggered over to the light switch and shed some light on the gritty darkness. Looking at the painfully modern watch on his wrist it told him it was 4 O'clock. Gene had spent many a long night being in CID until that time, back when he'd been more idealistic about the job admittedly, but his Misses never appreciated him rolling in at half four, reeking of single malt and early-morning fag smoke.

Gene wondered what time he'd got in, _eleven, twelve?_

It all had got a little hazy after ten and he wondered what he might have done or said. He was the violent type, he'd be the first to admit, but there where Plonks around, his manners weren't that good round skirts when he wasn't half cut. Rubbing his face with his hands he trudged heavily over to the sideboard to get a fag. He wondered whether he smoked just out of routine and less addiction most of the time. But just for a moment he felt he needed to feel like in three hours he'd be getting up properly and be rolling in by half eight to 1973.

"Rough night?" Sam asked as Gene poured his third cup of coffee of the morning. Gene had to use all his will power not to punch is _poncy_ DCI in the teeth.

_All the coffee in the world wouldn't cure this head._

"Hunky dory Sam." Gene said through gritted teeth.

"Surprised you got home in one piece, you left around half ten after a punch up with a police constable." Sam said grimly.

"Ah sod, that explains the headache." Gene muttered, feeling himself go slightly red, no one, but no one, punched up Gene Hunt!

"Well t'be fair he was far more drunk than you, you tried to help 'im up after he'd fallen over at the bar and he simply let you have it." Sam said.

"Thank goodness I didn't start the fight." Gene mumbled and Sam rolled his eyes,

_Mental note, don't invite Gene drinking again._

"Anyway, once you've found yourself some painkillers we'll begin." Sam intoned and Gene instantly looked doubly alert.

"What's 'appened?" Gene asked quickly, he was used to people saying things like that, as it was normally him saying it.

"Lucinda Jackson, murdered. From what we can gather already this was gang related." Sam stood in front of the department boldly. Behind him crime scene photos and names made the beginnings of the case evidence.

"Why?" Gene inputted, making heads turn.

"'Cos the girl, inspector, was the sister of a known drug addict." Sam said grimly, pointing vaguely at a name behind him on the board.

"So far we have no witnesses. The bullet shells found at the scene have been sent down to the lab and we'll get the results in a few hours, if not tomorrow."

"A few hours?!" Gene whispered to himself, this time no one heard.

"The last number that was called on her mobile was her boyfriend." Sam held up a clear plastic bag containing a mobile phone.

"He did it." Gene piped up and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Based on…?" Sam asked, trying not to smirk.

"Well, if she mixed with the wrong crowd, her boyfriend could be one of 'em." Gene reasoned, but Sam wasn't convinced and continued to talk about other evidence found so far.

"We need to talk to her boyfriend." Sam said as he and his inspector walked the long corridor out of the station.

"Oh good, we'll 'ave this thing wrapped up by teatime." Gene said with glee.

"No, so we can rule him out of the investigation. Have you ever heard of tack?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"'Cos we're gunna need to use it now, the lad's just lost his girlfriend." Sam said and spotting Gene's factual expression wish he hadn't said anything,

This guy's not having any of it. 

"Just trust the Gene Genie. I've played this game before." Gene said resolutely and Sam closed his eyes in disbelief.

Gene wondered if the slightly rougher parts of Manchester had changed at all since he'd left them in 1973. It was all still the same old redbrick and rusty cars. Sam had insisted on turning on his music despite Gene's silent protest.

"A fan?" Sam joked as a ballad by Keane struck a mournful tone.

"I'm used to David Bowie." Gene commented, thinking back to the back-hander club tickets he'd get from Crime lord Steven Warren.

"_Jean Genie_?" Sam asked and Gene nearly smiled,

_Maybe this guy wasn't all work and no play._

"Here we go." Sam said parking neatly by a scruffy terrace house. Gene rolled his eyes,

You're a copper not a chauffeur! Gene thought getting out of the car and sighing at Sam's immaculate parking. 

_Next time on _The Gene Genie, _the lessons continue with Sam and a mysterious man answers a question Gene never asked…_


	10. Chapter 9

_I'm sorry if this chapter is dead boring, but it can't all be kicking in doors and/or nonces. Sam would agree with me, Gene would not…_

_I'm really sorry for making you wait so long for an update but I've been away from a computer for almost a week so I had no time to write._

_(Thank you one and all for reading and reviewing, to be honest the best bit as far as I'm concerned is less that you like this fic, but that you took the time to read it!)_

Chapter 9

Sam knocked twice and waited. As the door opened slowly the detectives, in perfect unison, dipped their hands into their pockets and pulled out two identical black wallets. "Levin Armstrong?" Sam asked, ever cool.

"Yeah." Came a gruff reply, the guy, half dressed, was unshaven and red-eyed and Gene could smell alcohol.

"CID." Gene said before Sam could as they both raised their badges.

Levin lead the detectives into a shabby sitting room, it was clear that his girlfriend had taken up semi-permanent residence as the normal grime of a bachelor lad's accommodation had been removed.

"We'd like to ask you a few questions about Lucinda Jackson." Sam said taking a seat on the relatively clean looking settee. Levin nodded as he sat down opposite the detectives.

"Right, first off, where were you between 11 and 1 the night b'fore last?" Gene said, cutting to the chase and Sam didn't try to hide a heavy sigh.

"Home. It 'ad bin a long day at work." Levin said and Sam nodded, taking a quick note.

"What would you say your relationship with Lucinda was like?" Sam asked carefully, he didn't want to put his foot in it like Gene wanted to do so badly. Gene rolled his eyes but luckily Levin didn't see,

_Can we not play games Tyler?!_

"We were in love. We had the odd tiff, but that was all. Daft stuff, mainly about my brother who was always hangin' around…" Levin paused but both Gene and Sam seemed eager to hear the rest. Sam glanced at Gene and gave him a _your turn_ look. Gene smiled slightly and turned to Levin.

"What was Lucinda's problem with your brother?" Gene asked bluntly and Sam hoped that Gene had asked the right question and not mucked up the investigation before it had started.

"My dad kicked him out of the house the other month, 'cos he'd got arrested for stealing a car, it was kinda the final straw 'cos Tony, that's m' brother, smashed up m' dad's car and got his licence revoked. So Tony came to me. And well, Cindy couldn't cope with having my kid brother hanging around, wanting money… She even accused him of trying to chat her up."

"Did you talk to your brother about it?" Sam quizzed and Levin shook his head.

"He's only eighteen, I didn't think he was that daft." Levin said, almost embarrassed as he fidgeted in his seat.

"Levin Jackson isn't our man." Sam said as they got back into the car. Sam had noticed that every time they approached the car Gene would always head automatically for the driver side door, and Sam wondered whether at some point Gene had got demoted from DCI.

"I don't know Sammy-boy. He wasn't telling us somethin'." Gene said and Sam grunted in approval.

"I think so too, but it could be anything, couldn't it?" Sam said and he started the engine, realising after he'd said it that he'd been going on a gut feeling, something he tried not to do.

"What else could it be? That he's been screwing her sister on the sly?" Gene said almost to casually.

"Lesson one Detective," Sam said, receiving poisonous looks as he did so, "in this game, it's better to keep assumptions to y'self." Sam said and Gene looked as if he could scream.

"Then who did it Robin?" Gene asked and Sam frowned.

"Robin?"

"Boy Wonder." Gene said, sighing deliberately.

_Aint he ever heard of Batman?!_

"Well if I knew that, we could all go home, couldn't we?" Sam retorted and Gene decided to hold his tongue,

_That's one of my lines! _Gene thought, slightly stunned.

On arriving back at the station Sam went to talk to Maya. Gene had walked slowly past on of their conversations before and had found it to be nothing work related. The debate already seemed heated so he felt like having a nose.

"Sam, I'm sorry, it's the way I feel. I'm not sure I can work with you anymore, let alone live with you." Maya said in hushed tones. Gene found it easy to listen as they where stood by the coffee machine, the perfect place for Gene to busy himself while doing nothing.

"What do you mean Maya?" Sam said touching her on the arm but she wriggled instantly away.

"I mean, I've been thinking of putting in a transfer, to B division, it's closer to my new flat and it best for us, you know, to make a clean break." Maya said before dashing off to the other side of the office and pretending to busy herself with a report.

Gene looked over to Sam and gave him an raised eyebrow.

"You heard that?' Sam asked as he walked over to Gene,

"Every word." Gene said and offered Sam the cup of coffee he'd just made before poring himself a fresh cup.

_Ok, that wasn't all that thrilling or exciting but I'm getting there. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter and let me know if I can improve it! Ta._


	11. Chapter 10

_So sorry I didn't drop any hints for this chapter but don't worry, things kick up a gear as a misunderstanding causes some unneeded action…_

Chapter 10

Sam and Gene, after a busy day, had ended up staying late on in the office as the forensic team had decided to request the detectives' presence for the post mortem report, much to Gene's annoyance, who commented frequently that they all had better things to do than hang around in cold rooms with forensic scientists who couldn't keep office hours. In the end Sam offered Gene a lift home as both Detectives where shattered with no obvious reasons, questioning family and friends where hardly at the top of Gene's 'most strenuous police work' list. But neither detective felt in the mood for getting half-cut down the Pub so it was home, office or bust for both of them. Gene was getting sick already of the fact that he had no Ray to chat about the footy with. No Chris to gently mock, and no Cartwright to wolf-whistle at with the lads after he'd had a pint or five. Not that he was soft or anything. He was coping just fine.

"Can I come in?" Sam asked as Gene got his keys out, ready to bid his DCI g'bye.

"What?" Gene questioned.

_What was this guy, a puff?_

"In. Y'know, for a chat." Sam asked, slightly confused. Gene gave a yes-grunt and lead Sam inside. Gene threw his coat onto the settee and made to sit down but Sam hovered by the door.

"I'll not stay long. I just wanted to know how you're settling in." Sam asked intently and Gene felt himself flush pink realising his mistake,

_At least I didn't say it!_

"Fine, I guess." Gene muttered vaguely. Sam didn't look impressed.

"Did you see a doctor about that head of yours?' Sam asked carefully, hoping that Gene wouldn't think he was implying that he was a nutcase.

"I didn't smack my head if that's what you mean, and if you wanna know to truth Sammy-boy I'm getting sick of being looked at as if I've just landed after a holiday on Mars." Gene said as he unscrewed the top off a bottle of recently bought scotch. He wasn't waiting until he woke up to drink scotch again, although he had to admit, he nearly died when he saw the price. But then again most things seemed ten times more expensive than they should be.

"Y'keep telling me this stuff… but the evidence's against you Gene." Sam said and Gene wondered whether that was a rehearsed line that Sam used frequently on suspects.

"But what's your gut feeling Sam?" Gene asked and Sam caught Gene's eye.

_He called me Sam, not Sammy-boy, not some sarcastic joke name, just Sam._

Sam mulled his answer over in his mind; Sam had never had much experience with anything like this.

Gut feeling? Was that the only thing this guy valued?

"My feeling is," Sam said and took a breath before continuing, "it's too unbelievable to be fiction." Sam finished and surprised even himself as well as Gene.

Gene opened the door to let his DCI out and Sam turned to face Gene. "I keep thinking Gene, I'm sure I've seen you before."

"Not likely Sam, well, not unless I met you when you where what? Three, four, five?" Gene said and Sam laughed shortly.

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"What's on the menu for today?" Gene said when he found Sam the next morning. He'd slept well for the first time since he'd arrived, well, better than nights before!

"We're going to find Tony Armstrong. Maya spoke to Lucinda's best friend, Amy Howard, seems Tony's one for doing disappearing acts." Sam said and Gene gave a quizzical look.

"Does that make him a suspect?" Gene asked, although debating after he'd said it whether he'd really mean it as a question.

"No, just a pain in the neck." And Gene nearly laughed,

_That's not how I'd have phrased it!_

Gene found his blood boiling again as Sam parked up painfully neatly in front of a scruffy row of houses. From what Levin had told them yesterday Tony was camping out on the settee of their Uncle's. Gene felt already that it was getting far to complex for him,

_So many suspects, so little time._

Sam strode up to front door ahead of Gene. He knocked twice and stepped back, his first mistake. Finally a young male in a tracksuit answered the door and Sam smiled,

"Tony Armstrong?" Sam asked and the man nodded.

"DCI Tyler." Sam said but before he could even introduce his college Tony had knocked him to the ground as he legging it down the street. "What the...!" Sam spluttered as Gene ran past him, swearing.

Picking himself up, Sam quickly caught up with Gene who already seemed out of breath.

"Head him off." Sam said pointing to an alleyway that ran all but parallel to the main street. Gene nodded as he ran hoping that that way was quicker. Sam was just glad he was a runner but he hoped that Tony didn't try something clever and decide to go into one of the houses. Luck, however, was on the detectives as Sam chased Tony round the bend in the road he spotted Gene ahead and Sam was glad he knew this area well. Tony looked back at Sam quickly but wasn't quick enough looking back ahead to see Gene standing in his path. Tony slammed into by far the bigger man of the three and came to a swift halt.

"In a hurry?" Gene asked voiced drenched with sarcasm and Sam although breathing heavily, still smiled.

_Next time in The Gene Genie a strangely familiar face cause trouble and headaches for Sam as well as Gene and a voice from 2007 explains his past…_

_(Reviews for this chapter as with every other are greatly welcomed, cheers for reading guys!)_


	12. Chapter 11

_Don't ask me why, but I think this is a good time to have Gene being objectionable!_

_(Thank you as always for all my reader and reviewers, it's great to know what you like and what you don't)._

Chapter 11

"Interview commenced at-"

"Shut up Tyler." Gene barked and for a second Tony Armstrong smirked. Tyler shook his head and began again, Gene glared.

"Present, DCI Tyler, DI Hunt and Anthony, also known as Tony, Armstrong." Sam finished defiantly and Gene sighed.

"_Anyway_," Gene began staring down Tony who sat cooling opposite the detectives. "The charges,"

"It wasn't my idea," Tony cut in, cool exterior broken, and Gene had to resist swearing at Tony, "No, it's was a mate of mine's, I thought it was a joke, my mate's cousins car-"

"Car?!" Sam asked then nodded knowingly; Gene figured the same and smiled.

"The charges, assault on DCI Tyler." Gene finished and Tony looked up, "yeah, not a good move was it, you bas-"

"Detective!" Sam cut in and Gene glared unapologetically.

"But, I'm willing to drop the charges if you answer a few questions about you brother and Miss Lucinda Jackson." Sam continued and even as he spoke Gene wished that they could book this guy for _something_. He even looked like a crook, in tatty tracksuit and cap, Sam had used a word Gene didn't know to describe him, _Chav_.

"Oh." Tony said and with the grin that became plastered across his face Gene knew that this guy would rat out on his own grandmother, let alone his brother and deceased girlfriend.

"What do you think?" Sam asked Gene in the corridor after the interview had finished. Some revelations that had been revealed really didn't put Levin in a good light.

"Well, if Tony the creep is telling the truth then Levin, perfect boyfriend, can be in a cell by tea time." Gene intoned and Sam nodded slightly.

Sam wished it wasn't true but Levin had suddenly become suspect one as soon as Tony told them that Levin's and Lucinda's arguments where more than just talking.

"I don't know, maybe we asked the wrong question when Maya talked to Amy Howard."

"What find out if she talked to Amy about how Levin treated her?" Gene asked and Sam nodded and gestured for them to start walking.

"Well, claiming that Levin broke her arm by pushing her down the stairs, they'll be medical records. It's a bold move, why would he lie?"

"'Cos he's a git, would he care if he got done for libel?" Gene said, "Look, his brother kicked him out, why not give people a reason to suspect him."

"You think Tony did it?" Sam asked noticing the implication in what Gene said.

"I'm not sure, well, not yet. You're the Gov, what do you say Tyler?" Gene said looking at Sam.

"I say we," Sam breathed, he hated this bit of the job, he preferred guilty parties to suspects, "for now, bring Levin in."

"No you can't do this!" Levin struggled against two large Uniformed Officers. He hadn't taken Sam and Gene's appearance at his home well and Sam gained a second set of bruises of the day.

"Look mate, we don't have a 'not-quite-sure-if-they-did-it' room so a cell it is." Gene said, massaging his wrist, "And you put up a bit of a fight considering you say you're, what is it, innocent? And if you are, well, home by teatime." Gene said with a smirk.

"I've learnt from experience Gene, that it's better not to taunt suspects." Said Sam, who appeared by Gene's desk later on; Gene grunted and Sam gave a drawn out sigh to Gene's unhelpful reply.

"Y'know you can go home sometime." Sam said tapping his wrist and Gene glanced at the clock on the computer screen.

"I've just got to finish this." Gene mumbled and Sam nodded and began to walk away.

"Oh yeah," Sam said turning back to Gene, "Maya spoke to Amy again, Tony was telling the truth."

"And the arm?" Gene asked, mentally crossing his fingers.

"I checked her records, both her GP records and the post-mortem says she broke her arm within the last year." Sam said before walking out of the room.

Involuntarily Gene shook his head.

_No, this was too easy, this can't be right._

Gene thought to himself, thinking about the suspect sitting in a dank cell down stairs. Gene rubbed the back of his neck in agitation, in the real world he'd have busted Tony first for assault on an officer, milked him dry, and then got him a nice cell for a few months or more for the assault charge. Not here though. No.

The phone began to ring without warning and Gene jumped. As he picked up the phone he felt his mouth go dry and he whispered through suddenly parched lips,

"Gene Hunt."

"You can drop the act for me." Came an oddly officious and, Gene thought, pompous voice from down the line.

"Who are you?" Gene spat and a sigh came from down the line.

"You always had a short fuse; clearly you fit Hunt's character well."

"Well?" Gene asked, knowing it wasn't the real question he wanted answering.

"Yes. And I've seen you're name on arrest reports already, you're doing well." The tone was matter-of-face and Gene had to bite his tongue to stop himself from making a sarcastic comment he could regret later.

"About this Hunt character," Gene said carefully, he felt like this was going to be the most intellectual thing he'd have to do all year, work out what the hell was going on. "I looked him up; it says he died, in 1973."

"Well of course, it was your idea to change the records. I think the real 'Gene Hunt' has been out of the loop for long enough for us not to worry about questions asked." The voice was laced with a tone that Gene wasn't sure he liked at all.

"Well anyway," The man continued and Gene suddenly realised he didn't know the man's name, "You seem to be doing fine where you are. I'll be in contact soon."

"No wait!" Gene exclaimed but all he could hear was the dialling tone.

Several floors below Sam Tyler reached the entrance hall of the building. As he passed the front desk he noticed a woman of about sixty, maybe younger for she held her beauty well, arguing with the desk sergeant. She had a slender figure and a gentle, yet cheeky, smile. Her hair, grey and wispy still maintained streaks of her natural tone, chocolate brown. She had a familiarity to her that Sam couldn't quite place. But she caught his eye by the envelope held in her hand, old, maybe thirty or forty years of yellowing on the white paper.

"I was told to give this to some one." The woman pressed impatiently, holding the gaze of the desk sergeant.

"Who should I say it's for?" The Sergeant asked, clearly it was more than the second time of asking.

"A man called Sam Tyler."

_Right, I am drawing on an idea from _Cat Yuy, _have a look in the past reviews for a clue. Thank you _Cat Yuy_ for the idea! Proper credit will be given when all is revealed. Thank you all as always._


	13. Chapter 12

_Ok, I've got to not muck this up as this requires a bit of thinking… Welcome dear readers to the mystical dimension I call… Chapter 12 (bit of an anticlimax really)._

Chapter 12

The desk sergeant looked over the woman's shoulder to a DCI riveted to where he stood.

"Sir?" The sergeant directed the question to Sam who instantly snapped out of his trance and ambled over to the desk to greet the woman.

"DCI Sam Tyler." Sam offered a hand and the woman took it reluctantly.

"Can I have a word?" The woman gestured towards the canteen door and Sam raised an eyebrow,

_she hadn't even given her name._

"That's hardly the most private-" Sam began but the woman gave a smile and Sam wondered again, how he knew that face. Sam gave a nod and followed, even though he was sure that he was leading, the woman to the canteen.

Gene wanted to leave the office as fast as his aching legs could take him. The lift gave a familiar 'ting' and Gene stepped out into the main entrance of the building. He grunted a good night to the desk sergeant, who looked up,

"DCI Tyler-" He began and Gene spun around.

"I don' give a stuff." Gene barked; he had better things to think about than Tyler.

"I used to work here." The woman gave a smile to Sam in the half light of the room and Sam nodded,

_that explained one thing at least._

"It's changed so much, just like the Gov said." She said dreamily and Sam gave a quizzical look.

"Gov?" Sam asked; he felt this was getting weird all ready.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Annie Cartwright." Annie offered a hand out to Sam who took it in the same gingerly fashion as she had taken his.

Gene kicked his front door closed behind him and collapsed heavily onto the settee. He stabbed at the remote control and the TV jumped to life. The news, again. And none of it good.

"And in other news… Morgan's gone and made that bird Cartwright a WDC in the department." Ray's voice cut in over the news reader's drone and Gene sat bolt upright.

"Not sodding again!" Gene murmured, his voice failing him.

"Yeah, Gov, and on the way t' see you, he was walking the other way, don't know why he was visiting ya, he ain't even met you." Chris voice intoned over the other reporter's voice and Gene's eyes widened.

"'e went to see ya misses Gov, don' know why." Ray said with a tut.

"He better leave 'er be!" Gene barked at the TV screen.

"Oh yeah, Gov, since ya not busy," Chris said but Ray cut in,

"Busy?! You twat Chris!"

"Ya remember that Tyler bird and her son, well she came in the other day,"

"Yeah, she wanted help finding that bastard of a husband of hers, so Morgan sent Cartwright of all people!" Ray said, then laughed hollowly, "Why are we talking to a corpse, he can't 'ear us!"

Gene fell to knees in front of the screen, "But I can! I can bloody hear you! Get me out of here you pair of girl's blouses!" Gene shouted and banged the top of the set with his fist. The screen brightened until the imaged faded into snowy static.

"Pitter patter on the floor, to bad you don't know what's up anymore!" Gene spun around to find the yellow girl grinning in the sudden blackness.

"What you do want?!" Gene demanded. The girl grinned and her laughter cut through Gene like a knife, making him think of hyenas and nails on chalk boards.

"Want? I want to help you; you need me, genie, Gene Genie." Gene staggered to his feet and lunged at the girl, who moved away from his grasp with out even moving.

"Genie, Gene Genie! Genie, Gene Genie!" The girl teased and Gene clamped his hands over his ears.

"Bloody leave me be!" Gene yelled, squeezing his eyes so tightly shut that they stung.

"Genie, Gene Genie! Genie, Gene Genie! They're talking to the living dead, Six foot under, bashed your head; Car has hit you, now they all say you're dead!"

When Gene opened his eyes the darkness had faded into late afternoon glow from the windows. Moving over to switch off the set he then stumbled into the kitchen area to throw together some sort of food. It felt more than just minutes since he'd got home, more like days.

"Cartwright?" Sam asked carefully.

_Surely, no, no, it can't be._ Somewhere in the back of his mind the name tried to connect to something forgotten.

"So you where an officer here?" Sam asked, knowing that it was completely off the real question he wanted answering. "I feel like I know you, how long where you here?" Sam asked, feeling like an idiot.

"Oh, I left here in '83. Went to work for Cheshire Constabulary." Annie said, with an air of 'one officer to another' in her voice.

"I knew a Ruth and Sammy Tyler when I was here, little kid, he wanted to be an officer, he was so sweet." Annie's eyes misted over as if thinking of the poor child all those years away. "But anyway-"

"Wait, you knew my mum, Ruth?" Sam quizzed and Annie fidgeted uneasily.

"You're Sammy? My goodness but yes. She, she wanted to find her husband." Annie said to Sam whose eyes widened.

"My dad? You knew Vic Tyler?" Sam pressed.

"I met him once, in '74, or '73 not sure. He was connected to some sort of gambling thing." Sam could tell Annie was being reserved and ashamed of the knowledge she held.

Sam offered her a seat at a table and continued.

"My mum said, years later, that he was on the run." Sam sniffed and Annie stretched out a hand.

"I'm sorry, but, _I _told her she should tell you something. I kept in touch y'see, against the Gov's wishes. He didn't like the thought of well, getting mixed up in families. _Yet he asked me to come here_." The last part was muttered to herself and Sam caught her eye.

"Gov?" Sam asked and again Annie avoided the question, instead she handed Sam the battered letter that had remained glued to her hand.

"Gov." Annie muttered as Sam opened the envelope.

On the front in biro, Sam's name was scribbled on. The glue, after so many years hand unstuck so the letter was easily removed. The paper was just as yellowed as the envelope and stained with a coffee cup ring, clearly just a bit of scrap office paper. Opening it up Sam scanned the empty space to find, in the centre, a name and date.

"_DCI Gene Hunt. 1973._" Sam whispered in horror and shock

_There was no denying it, it was real._

He knew he'd have to say something to Gene, but wondered if the Gene who had written the note had been told. Shaking his head, he smiled to Annie as she stood.

"Tell me about the Gov." Sam asked, gesturing for her to sit, and Annie sat down again with a slight smile.

_OK, that wasn't my greatest piece of writing, so I apologize. I am very aware that it was _painfully_ predictable. Not long now to the end. The ride's got to end somewhere, guys. (I don't what to give an exact chapter count as I always run over!) Thank you _Cat Yuy_ for the idea of bringing in Annie, she's such a great character._


	14. Chapter 13

_So sorry I've taken so long to get this chapter up. Thanks for sticking it out until I did post it, and of course, thanks to all you great people who read this and also to those who review as well!_

_Right, ok, we're up to, err, oh yes,_

Chapter 13

Sam slammed his front door behind him. He leant against the hard wood and pinched the bridge of his nose. Just over thirty years he'd gone without having to have his past brought up. Well, that wasn't true, he'd always ask about his dad, a man he was sure he'd once called 'hero'. And it was true, she did look familiar. Annie Cartwright was the police officer that helped his mum through his dad going AWOL. He didn't want to think about it much more, and especially not about the scrawny bit of paper that was still held in the clenched fist of his right hand. Sam read it over once more out load before shaking his head and going to bed, ready to mull over everything again in his dreams.

As Gene crawled into bed he to thought about the prospect of equally fitful dreams.

_It had been one of those sorts of cases for Gene Hunt. It had already got messy. And suddenly, the guy they least expected had turned out to be the one guy they thought, well, what did it matter now. As the rest of CID and uniforms in plain cloths surrounded, so to speak, a poky parish hall Gene surveyed the scene._

"_Gov, I've spotted him, heading into the woods." A female voice cracked over Gene's police radio._

"_Ok love." Gene replied and followed in hot pursuit as WPC Cartwright disappeared into the woods._

_Gene hadn't meant to fall behind. Ahead of him he could hear Cartwright reason with Vic Tyler the slime ball. Gene pulled his gun and carried on. _

"_Sir, have you seen my daddy?" A small voice behind Gene said and he spun around to see a little sandy haired boy of four, Sammy Tyler, look up hopefully at him._

"_Err, yeah, I saw him go back into the hall. Go and find y'mum." Gene said and to Gene's relief the kid turned and ran back the other way expectantly. _

"_No don't!" The yelp came from just ahead and Gene ran as fast as he could to a small clearing ahead. As he came out of the trees he spotted Cartwright, cowering and shaking with fear as Vic Tyler advanced._

"_Oi!" Gene shouted, gun raised and Vic jumped with shock. Gene edged around to Cartwright who just about yanked his arm off to stop herself from collapsing in fright. And Gene saw why, a loaded gun, raised._

"_C'mon Vic. You've got a kid. He's lookin' for you. Don't throw y'life away. Gimmy the gun." Gene reasoned, stepping forward._

"_So I can go to jail?" Vic questioned, raising the gun in line with Gene's chest._

"_So my Sammy can be the kid of a crook." Vic asked and Gene's face twisted._

"_Y'should of thought of that!" Gene yelled, raising his gun in mirroring Vic's action._

"_Gov." Cartwright pleaded and Gene closed his eyes. _

What choice did he have?

"_Get out of my city." Gene said and Vic stared in shock._

"_What?!" Vic hissed, stepping forward._

"_Get out of my city. Go anywhere, I don't care, but come back into my city and you will go to jail." Gene said resolutely and Vic frowned._

"_What about Ruth and Sammy?" he asked, almost pleading._

"_No goodbyes."_

Both men woke to sun streaming in through their separate bedroom windows. Sam had, although not wanting to, debated long and hard all night as he lay awake, alone, about what to tell Gene. But he didn't have time to think about it for long. His home phone rang with an electronic tune as Sam picked up.

"Sam Tyler." Sam said as he simultaneously tried to straighten his tie, hold the phone and look for his car keys.

"It's Mark, there's been a report of a disturbance." Mark said before reeling out a long address.

"Hell! That's Levin's house." Sam exclaimed and a agreeing grunt came as a reply. "I'll call up Gene and we'll meet you there, send uniformed back up." Sam said.

"Y'sir." Mark said before Sam hung up.

"Bloody hell!" Sam exclaimed, realising he was alone he swore again, more explicitly this time before heading out.

_Again, sorry for the long wait for the update and the short chapter but I had to break it off there as you will soon (well sooner than last time), find out! Ta for reading!_


	15. Chapter 14

_Hi, hi, hi everyone. Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter and to those who took the time to review it as well…_

_Welcome to the action packed chapter 14…_

Chapter 14

Gene nearly chocked on his early morning coffee as he heard anxious knocking on his front door. Coughing profusely Gene ambled over to the door in a manner not quite fitting as far as the man on the other side of the door was concerned.

"Tyler." Gene grunted, it wasn't a question, he could tell something was up by the look in Sam's eyes.

"C'mon. We've got trouble." Sam said with frightening energy and Gene, in a blur of motion, grabbed his coat, slipped on his shoes and grabbed his keys faster than Sam though possible for a man like Gene.

"Lead the way Gov." Gene said and both detectives made a b-line for the stairs and Sam's car.

Sam had meant to speak to Gene as soon as he could but thought better of it as they drove off toward Levin's house.

"This is DCI Tyler, Maya, you there?" Sam said into his hand's free set.

"Sir, a neighbour has given us details. A man and woman are causing the disturbance, the man referred to the woman as 'Amy'. Sam, I've done a check on Amy, she has a record of violence, two antisocial behaviour convictions, and a history of mental illness." Maya said.

"And I bet she owns a gun." Gene muttered and Sam looked over at Gene and nodded. "Crime of bloody passion, great." Gene continued and Sam gave a heavy sigh.

Gene was pleased to see that Sam had, for the first time since they'd met, thrown caution to the wind and haired down the road. Swerving to a giddy stop just a few houses down from Levin's the pair where greeted by the grim faces of Maya and Mark.

"We should wait for armed backup." Maya said and both Gene and Sam groaned, clearly for different reasons. Gene nodded as if to indicate that Sam could comment first.

"No, we can't, if Amy has a gun the last thing we need is uniforms with guns scaring the living hell out of her." Sam said.

"And anyway, we can carry firearms, training and all, if it kicks off, well, we'll be ok." Gene put in and the three men nodded in agreement, Maya still looked unsure.

"Here." Sam said to Gene as he presented Gene with a gun totally unlike one Gene had seen before.

"So how do I set it to stun?" Gene joked and Sam raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you said…"

"Yes, I can make it bloody fire!" Gene shot back and Sam shrugged.

"Fair enough." Sam muttered as the pair, almost simultaneously tucked their guns into the back of their trousers and pulled their suit jackets in place to cover the gun.

"All set?" Sam asked and Gene nodded as they approached the front door; this was going to require some acting.

Sam instructed the back up to 'back off' out of sight before heading down the almost non-existent garden path, which ran along a frankly uncared for postage stamp sized patch of lawn. Already from outside the detectives' could hear the arguing.

"Got a playing card?" Gene asked quietly, gesturing to the lock on the door.

"I've got a credit card and luck." Sam said and carefully opening the door the pair slipped inside. They knew that if Levin came to answer the door Amy could be out the back quicker than you could say 'mine's a pint'.

"You're crazy you are!" yelled Levin from the living room and Sam bit his lip as they walked carefully down the corridor.

"Was this really a good idea?!" Sam hissed near Gene's ear and Gene nearly laughed out loud.

_Who's the DCI now Tyler?_

"But I did it so we'd be together." Amy pleaded and Levin laughed coldly.

"Together?! You're going to jail, or the funny farm!" Levin spat back but gasped. A silence fell in the house and Sam had a guess at what may soon happen.

"I got an idea." Gene said and strolled boldly into the living room as his outraged DCI could do nothing but splutter.

Gene knocked on the living room doorframe in full view of both of the room's occupants and Gene smiled, trying to ignore the gun in Amy's hand.

"Sorry to bother but the door was open, just wanted to ask you a few questions again." Gene said and Sam cringed, the lie was so false he almost expected to hear a gunshot any second.

"Tyler?" Gene said turning to see his apprehensive DCI hovering in the doorway.

"Err, yes." Tyler said moving into the room so he was standing just about next to Amy and the lump of metal in her hand.

Gene calculated his options. He toyed with the notion of pulling his gun and do a 'freeze, you're surrounded by armed bastards' bit, but knew that wouldn't help. Sam tried to gesture to the pair to sit but Levin's manic expression gave it away that he wasn't going anywhere until Amy was dealt with. As Gene looked on he saw Sam doing something very irrational. Amy's eyes where locked onto Levin's like laser sights, she hadn't seemed to have noticed the appearance of two others in the room. The girl either had tunnel vision or was simply bonkers.

"Tyler?!" Gene questioned as Sam tried to peel the gun out of Amy's hand.

"No!" Levin yelled and to both detectives' horror Levin tried to make a grab for the gun as well. As Sam and Gene pulled Levin out of the way several shots where fired randomly.

"Shit!" Sam exclaimed and Gene noticed blood pouring from a wound in Sam's upper arm. At that moment Gene was relieved to here the sound of footsteps and a unit of uniforms stormed in. Gene looked over at Levin, who looked like death but otherwise was alive. Glancing up, Gene saw Amy raise the gun to her temple.

"No!" Sam breathed a millisecond too late.

_So sorry this took so long to be published. Sorry. Will Sam be ok, why haven't we heard from Morgan again and will Lisa Simpson return to cause more problems? Find out soon!_


	16. Chapter 15

_So, so sorry about the lack of recent updates, I hope you haven't given up on me!_

_Right anyway…_

Chapter 15

Gene stood outside Levin's house and gazed on the aftermath of thirty minutes before hand. An ambulance had arrived within minutes and after the paramedic ponces had given Gene a once over, even after his insistence that he was ok, they finally agreed and let him see how his Gov was. Sam sat on the back step of the ambulance his arm in a sling waiting for the paramedics to return. Gene had always had always had a strong stomach but the sight of a woman in her prime, gun clamped to her hand because of Rigamortis and a bloody hole where one side of her face once was made even the gal in his stomach rise.

"Y'right?" Gene asked gruffly and Sam looked up.

"Well apart from the lump of lead currently in my shoulder, yes, Gene, I'm al'right." Sam replied with as much sarcasm as he could manage. Gene smiled and offered Sam a swill from his hip flask. Sam shook his head but Gene offered it again.

"Medical." Gene said.

"Y'mean medicinal?" Sam corrected and took the flask.

"Those forensic divs'll be finished soon, so I'll see ya later." Gene explained as the pair spotted the paramedics bring out Amy on a stretcher.

"Sir?" one female paramedic asked and gestured Sam into the ambulance.

"Sure. Your in charge detective." Sam said to Gene before Gene walked away. "Gene?!" Sam called out, suddenly remembering, but Gene was already out of ear shot.

"Is Sam alright?" Maya looked concerned, less worried, but Gene guessed that she was trying to hide it with the level tone of her voice.

"He should be, this day and age they even have anaesthetics." Gene joked but Maya continued to look grave before turning away.

"Maya." Gene said and she turned. "What's the deal with you an' 'im. One minute you'll barely speak to him, the next-" Gene gestured towards Maya and she flushed red.

"We didn't brake up on the best of terms." Maya explained, "He just got so obsessive with the job, there was never any 'us' time."

"Oh c'mon, this place? I highly doubt you where never in the same room."

"True, but when we weren't at work, he just couldn't switch off." At that Gene gestured to a wall and he and Maya say down. He couldn't quite believe he was going all soft

_but who was going to know when he got back home?_

Gene shook the thought of home from his mind and continued.

"Look love, this job, in his position you can't switch off, trust me I know. And 'er inside never forgave me for it, but it didn't mean I don't love 'er." Gene tried to explain but it felt far to clumsy and he felt himself go red. Maya nodded understandingly and stood.

"Maya."

"Y'sir?"

"I want you to round up the team, who ever can, I want back at the mother ship."

"Ring, ring, Genie Gene Genie." Gene's eyes snapped open to find the yellow girl at the foot of his bed.

"What?" Gene asked slowly, not quite awake enough to be afraid.

"Hello, hello, who's calling? He's calling, calling, calling, calling…" The girl repeated as if a siren. "…Calling, calling, he's coming for you Genie Gene Genie."

The trill of the phone cut into Gene's mind and darting around, he found he was alone. Shaking the last of the grogginess of sleep from his head Gene picked up the telephone by his bed.

"Hunt." Gene said, and noticing the time, just gone two in the morning, he wondered who on Earth could be calling.

"Hello," came the voice, then a snort of laughter, "hello, Gene."

"Oh, it's you." Gene spat, deliberately.

"The opportunity has come sooner than I expected. You're playing the game well."

"Game? This job isn't a game, it's… well, why do I need to tell you."

"You were always one to play the part. But with Tyler out of the way, well, all you have to do…" the voice paused as if Gene was meant to finish.

"Is what?!" Gene demanded, but all he could hear was a hollow laugh.

"Do it and you can go home."

_What is Gene expected to do? What on Earth could Sam being hospitalised mean for the safety of Manchester and will Sam finally be able to speak to Gene before it's too late._

_So sorry, again, that this is so late in being published. _


	17. Chapter 16

Once again, deepest apologies for the delay but the cold weather had temporally paralyzed my imagination (joke).

_Here we go, Chapter 16…_

Chapter 16

The line cut dead almost instantly. If Morgan had waited any longer the only reply he would have got from Gene would have been anguished splutters. Putting the receiver down Gene rubbed his unshaven face with his hands.

This is bloody insane. Gene thought to himself before lying back down and willing himself to sleep.

If he had rolled in at nine thirty in 1973 he knew he would have simply got a nod of disapproval from Phyllis and a comment from Chris, but instead of _"You look as rough as a dog's arse, Gov.",_ he got,

"What time is this sir?!" Maya demanded to a semi-comatose Gene. "Why Sam left you of all people in charge I don't know." Usually Gene would have come back with some snide comment but he could bring himself to do it.

"Th'n why didn't ya' take charge?" Gene asked in a voice like sandpaper.

"Because I do as I'm told." Maya replied and Gene nodded.

"Apparently me too." He muttered to himself, thinking back to his small-hours conversation with Morgan.

Lucky for Gene he didn't have to do a 'leader of men' act for the whole morning. Many where dealing with the pile of paperwork, Gene included, that arose after the previous day's fiasco. Maya had already run out of people to interview so even she had to spend her time typing. But, just when Gene thought it was going to be a quiet day,

"Phone for you sir." Mark informed Gene and Gene picked up the receiver.

"It's Morgan." Came the voice and in a split second before Gene nearly exploded with anger he remembered where he was.

"What do you want?!" Gene hissed and Mark raised an eyebrow. Fixing Mark with a glare he returned to his desk and Gene continued. "So?"

"That accident really must have addled your brain. But, I can't tell you over the phone, it won't be secure."

"You fool, this is a police number, we don't keep tabs on our own!"

"I need to meet you, in half an hour, by the canal, unit 45, the quayside." Morgan said.

"Fine." Gene replied before hanging up. "Maya, hold the fort, I've got something I need to do."

It had rained heavily for most of the morning and continued unabated as Gene walked down the tow path to the rendezvous point. He hadn't had the forethought to bring an umbrella so was just about soaked to the bone by the time he spotted a man with the forethought to bring an umbrella standing like a living statue on the bank.

"Morgan." Gene called out with chattering teeth and the man turned. Through the rain Gene could almost see the press creases in Morgan's immaculate attire. He had an air about him that made Gene's stomach lurch, he's gut feeling was telling him big time, something was amiss.

"Ah, the man of the hour." Morgan said with a smile and beckoned Gene to follow.

Morgan lead Gene to a car, Gene assumed Morgan's own, and opening the door gestured that Gene should get in.

"For this to work Gene, I need you to tell me, will that team of Tyler's do as you say?" Morgan asked with such force that Gene was nearly taken back.

"Well for course you div' I'm a superior officer!" Gene spat and Morgan laughed.

"Good, good, well then, in two hours from now, you will receive an anonymous tip, there's a bomb in a supermarket. At the same time, on the other side of town I'll be doing the job."

"Bomb?! Job?!" Gene protested, he knew what both meant, and both meant criminal activity, but he didn't have the faintest idea why he was being, told, unless…

"So you want me to have the whole of A Division turn out for a bomb. Dud?"

"Certainly, I don't see why I should run the risk of two convictions." Morgan's laugh made the blood pulse in Gene's brain.

Suddenly it all made sense, the supposed death of Gene Hunt, the midnight phone calls, the yellow girl; clearly a sign of a guilty conscience, who ever Morgan thought Gene was, he knew that he was going to have one hell of a tough call.

"Tell me, my mind's still a little fuzzy, two things, one, how much research did I do into this Hunt guy, and two, which bank again?" Morgan eyed Gene carefully, but Gene gave an innocent, weak smile, something that didn't come at all easy to Gene.

"Oh, barely any research, didn't need it, we only needed his name. And the HSBC on London Road, they have the new bills arriving. You'll need to divert any squad cars or something, you're the Police know-it-all. Remember, pull this off and there's a bag of money, with your name on it," Morgan smirked, "_Gene_."

_The count down is on…_

_(Once again, sorry for the late entry.)_


	18. Chapter 17

_Hi guys, sorry it's taken me so long, I haven't had the inspiration of late._

_Anyway, here we go…_

Chapter 17

Gene arrived back at the station wet to the bone and in as fowl mood as the weather. He wasn't sure what to do. He'd paced about the town aimlessly, thinking and almost hoping that the rain would simply wash him away. A large whack of money was to anyone a large whack of money, even an experienced, high-ranking detective. Gene knew he'd taken a fair few backhanders in his time, enough for a new frock for the Misses, maybe the odd half dozen bottles of single malt, but Gene knew for sure that Bank robbery was not checks and balances.

Before walking into the main office space Gene closed his eyes tight, breathed in a willed himself over thirty years into the past. He wanted to smell stale cigarette smoke, coffee and three Scotches to many. He didn't like the predicament he was in at all, and in barely half an hours time he'd get a call from Morgan. A WPC knocked into him accidentally and Gene opened his eyes and stared down the worried looking officer.

"Sorry sir." She muttered and all Gene could do was sigh.

Pushing inside the office Gene whistled loudly to no effect.

"Oi!" He called once and again until someone took notice. After what felt like an age to Gene he managed to get a large group's attention including Maya and Mark.

"Right ladies and gents." Gene began, doing his best to ignore the raised eyebrows at his current state. "I have been tipped off by a very, very reliable source that there is going to be a bank robbery big time."

"When and where?" A confused detective asked and Gene smiled.

"Well, in half an hour, just, I will be receiving a phone call telling me when it's going to happen. But for now, we need unmarked police cars at both ends of London road." Gene surprised himself with the authority he spoke with, he was sure that he would be out of touch.

The team he had gathered stood there shocked for a second before moving off quickly. Gene grabbed Maya's arm. "No need 't cause panic love, but at the same time, we're likely to get a call from a shop telling us there's a bomb. It's likely to be a dud, but best turn out to keep up appearances. Have the bomb squad on standby." Maya looked into Gene's eyes, shocked and bewildered, Gene had a look that screamed 'Honestly' and so with a nod Maya made a phone call quickly.

Gene made a spot check of what everyone was doing and divided up the department accordingly. Suddenly the on duty desk sergeant dashed in,

"Sir, a report of a bomb, Queen's Park Road, at the supermarket."

Gene swore as he checked the time, nearly twenty minutes early, clearly Morgan didn't trust him, probably with good reason.

"Right gents, send the bomb squad and two units of uniforms, the rest of you, London Road. Now!" Gene yelled before sprinting towards the door. Suddenly it felt like '73 again, the IRA bombing and the adrenalin rush.

Gene had demanded to take the roll of driver, much to the horror of Mark, Maya and the other officers in the car. It was no Cortina, clearly, but Gene threw it about as if it was.

"You'll kill us!" Maya exclaimed but Gene simply rolled his eyes.

_Haven't they ever been in high-speed pursuit before?_

"All units," A female voice came over the police radio and Maya, who was in the front with Gene, answered it.

"Yeah." Maya said,

"There's been a report of armed bank robbery, London Road, in progress." The voice said and Gene rolled his eyes again.

"Obviously! Tell 'em we're all over it." Gene said and Maya relayed the message.

Gene pulled up several doors down from the bank. As soon as they got out of the car they could hear the alarms sounding and several screams.

"C'mon you girl's blouses!" Gene said gesturing that they should follow.

"Sir, shouldn't we wait for armed backup?" A timid WDC asked and Gene sighed.

"We'll we could do that, sure, but lets resolve the issue another way." Gene said before turning, he felt like punching himself for wanting to go all gay-boy psychology. And anyway, although he didn't want to let on as yet, he'd had the forethought to come armed. Gene crossed the road to get a far off view, the traffic both ways had come to a standstill to observe. The front glass door was not only opened but also smashed and Gene could see the feet of people pinned to the floor, the only standing where three blaggers, armed and dressing in all black. Gene crossed the road again as if to directly walk in, and fired two shots into the air.

_That'll get their attention._

And it did.

* * *

_Ha ha! Sorry to leave it as a cliffhanger, but it's a bit more dramatic this way, and I wont leave you hanging for long, honest._

_(Cheers guys for sticking with me, all views greatly welcomed.)_


	19. Chapter 18

_Ok, here we go…_

Chapter 18

"Doctor, heart rate increasing, raised levels of adrenalin." Gene froze mid-stride as he heard the voice over the radio.

_Beep, beep, beep, beep… _"And now the news…"

Gene sighed and focused again, he hoped he wasn't getting used to that sort of thing. Looking over to the bank he could see one of the blaggers come to the door and, gun raised, called out.

"Don't move, you're surrounded by armed bastards."

"One step closer and you're a dead man." Gene mulled the comment over for a second and smiled.

"I already am one." He said, "You're surrounded. Better to be done for attempted robbery than cop-killing." The man paused and lowered his gun for the second. With a blare of sirens and with almost too good timing the armed backup pulled up and Gene dived out of the way as the blagger opened fire on the officers.

Out-numbered five to one the blaggers used the bank as cover. Gene, first inside instructed a unit to get the civilians out.

"Give it up!" Gene called out. It was dark inside; the blaggers had shot the fuse box in a hope to disarm the alarm system.

"Y'know, with a good solicitor you could get off Scot-free, little harder when you look like Swiss cheese."

Gene chucked to himself at his analogy, but the gunmen didn't find it as humorous. Gene ducked as they opened fire in his general direction. But before he could retaliate six armed officers with Kevlar ran past him and truncheons in hand disarmed and cuffed the men swiftly.

Gene walked out of the bank and was nearly blinded by the sun. The whether had finally cleared and with a smile Gene looked round to see Mark jogging towards him.

"Yeah?" Gene asked as he looked down to flick the safety onto his gun.

"Report from the bomb squad, it was a dud." Mark explained and Gene nodded knowingly.

"Tell 'em good work." Mark turned away but Gene stepped around and in front of him. "Get everyone who hasn't already buggered off to take statements from those who where in the bank."

"Should I have the CCTV footage checked?" Mark asked and Gene nodded.

_If I knew what that was!_ Gene thought to himself as he walked away.

"Where are you going sir?" Maya asked as he got into the car they came in.

"I've got something to sort out." Gene said shortly and Maya could only watch as Gene drove away.

Gene arrived back at the docks as instructed and getting out, waited by the Quayside as Morgan had. As he stood and waited he wondered in the back of his mind what was happening back in '73. He hoped that the Morgan there wasn't as much of a bastard as this one. Gene stepped to the very edge of the quayside and looked down into the water, equally murky as the canals back home. He felt pleased with himself that he'd done the right thing, even if it may not have been the right thing in some people's eyes.

_Speak of the devil._

Gene thought as Morgan's car pulled up.

In several long strides Gene covered the distance between the canal bank and the car. He didn't fancy throwing himself into the lion's den and so ignored the door that was opened for him and went round to the other side and tapped on the window with the barrel of his gun. Morgan, clearly not obliging to Gene's hint, simply rolled down the window.

"What's all this?!" Morgan demanded but before he could continue Gene grabbed him by the tie so Morgan nearly chocked on his words.

"Get out the car." Gene demanded letting go but cocking his gun as he did so and aiming it at the front wheel of the car.

Morgan got out and trotted after Gene as he disappeared behind the corner of the warehouse meters away. As he went round the corner Gene grabbed him again by the scruff on the neck, this time Morgan expected it and tried to wrestle free before Gene brought him to his knees with a single, hard punch in the kidneys.

"Morgan, you are under arrest for conspiracy to obstruct, attempted terrorism and attempted robbery, you do not have to answer any of my questions but anything that you do say maybe taken down in evidence and used against you in court."

"That's not how it goes." Morgan coughed.

"I don't, bloody, care. You're nicked." Gene said before punching him again.

"I wanna see a lawyer." Morgan demanded to Gene as Maya walked into the interview room.

"Who's this?" Maya asked, shocked.

"Who 'e is isn't the thing, what 'e is, is important though." Gene said getting up.

"So?"

"He's a bastard; don't believe a word he says." Gene said before walking to the door.

"You'll go down too, _Hunt_." Morgan said and Maya glanced at Gene.

"No I won't, and it's DI Hunt to you." Gene said before handing the arrest report to Maya and leaving.

* * *

_Next time on _The Gene Genie_, Sam makes a return and a revelation suggests that Gene maybe nearer to getting home than he thought. (I'm going to enjoy writing it so it'll be up quite swiftly)._

_Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Reviews always welcome. Comments and criticisms gladly received._


	20. Chapter 19

_Before I start I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter and for the suggestions they made, especially the one made by Ariadne'sThread, credit where due, I am going to use your idea, thank you once again…_

Chapter 19

Gene strode down the Hospital corridor taking in the antiseptic taste of the place, and found he could readily compare it to CID, in 2007 of course. The corridors where all but deserted and Gene wondered, if this _all_ was in his head, whether he had simply run out of imagination to invent any more people. Shaking his head to dispel the thought he checked a sign that gave directions to the ward he needed and continued down another equally empty hallway.

Gene rang the main door into the ward and a thin and pasty looking brunette nurse answered.

"Visiting time's over sir." The nurse said and Gene sighed. Digging into his pocket he produced his police badge and raised it in line with her eyes.

"T'see Sam Tyler." Gene grunted and the nurse nodded and hooked a thumb down the corridor. Gene checked a whiteboard for the correct room and made his way to the private room at the end of the short corridor.

Gene could see that the door to Sam's room was open. Inside he could hear voices, one was Sam, the other he didn't recognise although using his amazing powers of deduction he could tell it was female. Coming to the doorway Gene rapped on the frame with his knuckles, the woman turned and Sam looked up and gave a weak smile.

"It was nice speaking to you." The woman said and Sam nodded.

"You didn't need to come up from London really. Being shot hardly counts as major trauma." Sam said.

"London?" Gene questioned, feeling awkward.

"Oh, you may know DI Drake." Sam nodded towards the woman and Gene raised an eyebrow.

"I've never met your colleague, Sam." The woman said with a shrug and passed Gene in the doorway to leave.

"Goodbye." She said before leaving.

"'Bye Alex." Sam called to her back.

"What was that about?" Gene asked cocking his head towards the doorway in Alex's direction.

"She's doing a report about officers who have suffered trauma." Sam said reclining in his bed.

"She's have a field day with me." Gene muttered but Sam heard.

"I told her about you. She found it, what was the word, 'fascinating'. 'A man with no recollection of the present'." Sam coughed back a chuckle.

"Very funny Sammy-boy." Gene said sitting in the chair next to Sam's bed.

Sam was dressed in hospital pyjamas that looked like a deckchair from Brighton pier, the dressing on his arm budged under one sleeve and shoulder giving Sam the comic appearance of looking like he had been weightlifting with just one arm.

"You look pretty good for a dead man." Sam commented and Gene raised an eyebrow. "Maya told me about that little speech that you gave the blaggers at the bank."

Gene sighed.

"Well it feels a little like I am Sam." Gene said softly.

Sam eyed his DI carefully; he guessed that now was the best time as any to tell him about his visit from Annie.

"Did you know a woman called Annie Cartwright?" Sam asked carefully and Gene looked up.

"Yeah, a'did, WPC, gorgeous bird, Chris used to pine after 'er." Gene said.

"Well, I got a visit from her the other day. Y'see, I remember her from when I was four, when my dad had gone AWOL." Sam explained and Gene could feel his chest tighten.

"Oh." Was all Gene could manage and Sam said nothing, expecting an explanation.

"Y'gotta understand Sammy-boy, is that you're old man wasn't the nicest of blokes. It hasn't run in the family but at the same time, would you 'ave joined the force knowing that we put your daddy behind bars?" Gene explained and Sam just nodded. Sam bit his lip for a second then gestured to the chair.

"Pass me my jacket." Sam said pointing to the back of the chair. Gene obliged and Sam dug his hand into the inside pocket.

"I don't pretend to understand but…" Sam said passing Gene the piece of paper with his name and handwriting on it. "What ever it means, I think your going to get home." Sam said with a smile and as Gene passed the paper back to Sam he couldn't help but smile as well.

Gene returned home in frankly a better mood that he had left in the morning. Gene flicked on the television then went into his bedroom to change. While in the bathroom brushing his teeth he could hear the faint murmur of the set get louder as if with every word it reverberated within the walls and amplified. Gene paced into the living room to gaze in curiosity and fear at the television.

"Hay Gov, you'll never guess what?" it was Chris' voice coming from a television screen full of static.

"Yeah, that Morgan bloke turned out to be a right one. He tried to feel up Cartwright so she filed a complaint against him and he got suspended." Ray's voice said.

"We backed 'er up 'cos he was a right ponce." Chris said, before pausing.

"You just come back quick Gov before we're given another git like him." Chris continued.

"Just come back soon love." Gene felt like screaming or crying he didn't know, for the last voice was his wife's.

* * *

_Hardly fair I know but still, it gives a perfect moment to bring back a particular character (if she can be called that) who has been strangely absent in the next chapter._

_There's only so much more I can write for this fic. I would like people to tell me whether it's best to break it off after loose-ends are tied up or whether one more climatic case is in order before that happens. Suggestions please._

_As always reviews welcomes with open arms, comment and criticisms are the only way I know what I'm doing right, and where I'm going wrong._


	21. Chapter 20

_Thank you to all the people who read the last chapter and a big "ta mate" to all those who took the time to write a review._

_Welcome to the dark and not-quite-sinister corner that is…_

Chapter 20

With a whiskey bottle in one hand, and television remote in the other, Gene Hunt in the small hours of the morning made a sorry picture. Gene slowly came to and realising where he was groaned, loudly. With energy he was sure he'd never had, Gene pulled himself up from the settee into an upright position. He felt like death warmed up and was sure that the banging in his head was not construction workers outside. Looking around through a haze of drunkenness and gritty blackness Gene realised that beyond the sofa was darkness.

"Genie, Gene Genie. Genie, Gene Genie. Genie, Gene Genie, wakey wakey Gene!" He could hear the voice beyond the blackness approaching with quickening speed and he couldn't bare it, the yellow girl.

"Bang!" the girl yelled; appearing suddenly in front of Gene making him fall back only to miss the settee that suddenly wasn't there.

"Bang, bang you're dead, fifty bullets in your head." The girl sang smugly.

"Leave me alone!" Gene yelled finally finding his voice.

"Oh but why? You are so alone Genie Gene Genie. She misses you, maybe she'd like you home again, bang, then you're home." The girl mocked.

"You're not real." Gene spluttered, pushing himself further away from her.

"Are you going to tell Sammy-boy the truth, does she know the truth, do they know the truth, will you tell them, will you tell them?" She continued, skipping closer.

"Six feet under, bashed you're head, lying by omission, of things not said!"

"Shut up!" Gene yelled.

Waking up, Gene could feel himself tremble with anger.

_Why the bloody 'ell did she have to come?_ He asked himself as he heaved himself up. Outside he could see the sun just rising with a blood red back drop. He'd never been one for 'superstition bollocks' but still,

"Shepard's warning." He muttered to himself before staggering into the bedroom to get ready.

He wished he knew why it all had to be so crewel. There he was all alone and the one voice he could cope without was his Misses. Sure, long work hours and skiving big event to go drinking with the lads didn't do their marriage any good, but now he was stuck doing the longest shift of the lot, and for now, it felt like he wasn't going to be home soon.

Within the week Sam Tyler was back in CID. Although still bandaged up and him arm in a sling he seemed pleased to simply be back working. Gene grumpily returned the keys to the kingdom to Sam and gave him a equally toneless "Welcome back, Guv."

Sam had set to with some paperwork but Gene had decided that it was only fair to let him in on the Morgan case and its high profit media following. Already that morning both Gene and Sam had fort their way past reporters some local, a few national, to get the scoop on the latest developments.

"You ready to meet the man behind the media?" Gene joked and Sam nodded.

"Interview, for the n-tenth time, Frank Morgan." Gene said and Sam smiled to himself,

_So he has taken _something _on board._

"Coppers, DCI Tyler, DI Hunt, Solicitor, and," Gene coughed before continuing, "_Defendant._" Gene lent back in his chair and waited a while before continuing.

"Anyway, I don't know what y'think you're pulling getting 'alf the Journos in the city plus some on your side." Gene began.

"With due respect Mr Hunt," The solicitor began.

"DI Hunt." Gene corrected.

"With respect, the media is simply going where the news is."

"You must excuse my college, he doesn't appreciate the media." Sam tried to explain.

"No, I just don't like having to carry a cricket bat to get into A Division."

"Anyway," Sam cut in, realising that they could be going down a one way street, "I have looked at the case notes and _I_ have some things I want to ask."

Sam gave Gene a glance who looked about ready to boil at any second.

"Firstly, you continually, throughout previous questionings, implied my college had some sort of involvement with the crime, quote, 'You'll go down too, _Hunt_.'. This was said during the first interview, quote, 'you should consult you're college on matters of where I was at the time.' and so on." Sam said, trying to keep a level tone of voice.

"What are you implying Inspector?" The solicitor said and Sam resisted sighing, loudly.

"I am implying, if you will, that the defendant is under the notion that DI Hunt has been taking back-handers from him." Sam said, and Gene leaned forwards.

"A word." Gene whispered into Sam's ear and they both stood.

"Excuse us." Sam said, before gesturing to the PC overseeing the proceedings to keep an eye as the pair of detectives went out into the corridor.

"You can't possibly believe that I'm a bent copper?!" Gene exploded and Sam was taken aback.

"What?! You think that I'm that bad at judging character to not know when someone's lying?" Sam pressed, good arm at his side, hand clenched as a fist.

"Well the thing is Sam," Gene began, the broke off.

"What, Gene?" Sam said, and seeing the look on Gene face gestured to the empty room opposite, "Step into my office." He said.

"The thing is Sam," Gene repeated, sitting down on a hard plastic chair one side of a desk and Sam sat down opposite him. Sam nodded expectantly.

"Morgan got in contact with me a few days before you're accident, I didn't realty know what he was on about, 'till you had gone into hospital, an' he asked me to be his _inside man_." Gene paused to see Sam's reaction but he simply looked on blankly as if taking it all in.

"So, he told me to meet him by the Canal to discuss final details, and that's when I found out about the bomb scare and the robbery."

"Why you?" Sam asked carefully.

"He was, for some reason, under the impression that I had been working for him for some time, since before I came _here._" Gene gestured around the room with his hand. "But I used my 'amnesia' so to speak, as a cover for sounding like a div' when I asked a load of questions."

"You could have got away with it." Sam muttered.

"Yeah, I know I could have, but I had a rare attack of 'do the right thing', so I didn't." Gene said, standing.

"Err, a question Gene," Sam said, standing as well, "Why is there a paramedics report filed in the evening of the arrest?"

"Oh." Gene said with a slight smile, "That would be the fractured ribs I gave him during the arrest. I had been aiming for the kidneys."

Sam sighed and rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to tell Morgan's solicitor that one.

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed that chapter, I'm glad that I'm now writing chapters with Sam back in the game but as you know, for drama etc, sake I have to write him out for a while._

_Anyway! Comments et –you've heard it all before –cetera, always appreciated. Cheers._


	22. Chapter 21

_Sorry about the long wait, I kinda lost my train of thought, hopefully I've found it again, and here we go,_

Chapter 21

The next week passed painlessly for the department. As far as Gene was concerned he'd never had a more dull run up to nothing. Morgan's court hearing had been put forward then put back more times, as Gene put to Sam one afternoon,

"Than a clock on a time zone."

To which Sam asked whether he'd like to mix any other metaphors. The only thing Gene found marginally more interesting than playing noughts and crosses with himself was dealing with the ever present flow of journalists who had just about set up camp on the steps of A Division.

"'aw is it that we can more scruffy skin 'eads on when they loiter, but we can't with that bunch." Gene complained to Sam, as he entered Sam's office, hooking a thumb in the general direction of outside.

"Yes, Gene, I can see it now, _Questions asked as detective looses patients with mild mannered reporter_." Sam said standing up. "Anyway, I found something that we can do."

Sam walked round his desk and passed Gene in the doorway.

"What?!" Gene demanded. Trailing after Sam as he left CID.

_Oh c'mon!_

Gene caught up with Sam, half out of breath by a car.

"So?" Gene said, realising Sam had paused.

"Well I can't drive!" Sam said handing Gene the keys before getting in the passenger side.

"Where to Guv?" Gene asked.

"Queen's park road. We've got a new lead on who made the phone call from the supermarket." Sam said as Gene drove off.

"What, it wasn't Morgan?" Gene asked confused.

"No, the desk sergeant confirmed it wasn't him, which means we've still got one of Morgan's men floating about."

Gene parked up as untidily as he dared outside the main entrance of the car park.

"We traced the phone number to this call box outside." Sam said waving his good arm at it. "It wasn't easy as it gave no caller ID. So one lucky member of the forensics team was given the call times made from all the phones in the area and worked it out."

"So what are we hear for?" Gene asked.

"CCTV footage." Sam said as they walked into the shop and headed for the office.

"Ok, ok, that's the second time I've heard about this CCTV bollocks, could you please enlighten me?" Gene demanded.

"Close, circuit, television." Sam breathed, "It's a video camera that records things for security purposes."

"Have you ever read _1984_?" Gene asked before Sam knocked on the office door.

"Yeah, but I'm more of a Dan Brown man." Sam replied before the door opened.

"CID love." Gene said raising his police badge to the lady who opened the door; she gave a nod before the detectives walked in.

"You recognise that man love?" Gene asked, pointing at the frozen image on a TV screen.

"Not sure. May 'ave." The woman said airily, and Gene sighed.

"Well, we've got a picture." Sam said, "Could we take this as evidence?" Sam asked and the lady shrugged.

"Guess so."

Gene sighed again,

_If this skirt was any colder she'd be a snowman._

"Door to door?" Gene asked.

"Oh yes." Sam replied and Gene realised he had no more air to sigh with.

Later on, the detectives found themselves in the _Railway Arms_, feeling no better despite the fractional move forward in the case.

"Mine's a pint and a whiskey chaser." Gene said before turning to Sam, "Guv'?"

"Same." Sam replied and Gene raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, but you can buy your own bloody chaser." Gene said handing over the money for two pints and his chaser to Nicola.

"Cheers pet." She said to Gene as she began pulling the pints. "How's the arm Sam?" Nicola asked as she put the first of the pints on the bar.

"Better ta." Sam said getting to the lone pint before Gene did.

The pair moved to sit in a snug in the corner, as far away as they could from the noisy television set.

"Bloody United." Gene muttered, glancing at the TV. Sam cocked an eyebrow and Gene continued, "Me, I'm a City fan."

"Oh, well I won't hold it against you. I haven't seen United play since I was, well, before m' dad left."

"I took you as a United fan." Gene muttered gruffly, ignoring Sam's comment about Vic Tyler.

"Slow week for crime hay Sammy-boy." Gene commented after his third pint.

"Well, a know it's wrong to think of it, but we'd be outta job is they all go straight." Sam slurred, he too was on his third pint.

"They don't." Gene said loudly.

"Well, if they did." Sam said, laughing without knowing way.

"You've 'ad too much to drink."

"True." Sam said, before downing the dregs of his pint glass.

"DI Hunt." Said into his desk telephone with a voice like sandpaper. Last night they really burnt the midnight oil, and from the look of things, drank most of it too. Both Sam and Gene where in a bad way.

"Hello, it's DI Alex Drake, we met a few weeks back in hospital." The woman one the end of the phone sounded far to jolly for Gene's taste that morning.

"Yeah, what you want?" Gene said disjointedly.

"I was wondering whether we could have a chat, y'see DCI Tyler said you'd been suffering from amnesia and trauma and I'm writing this report y'see." Alex continued.

"If you're asking me t'be a guniea pig,I'm sorry but I have a job to do." Gene replied before hanging up swiftly.

_What a nightmare it would be to work with _her

* * *

_Sorry this chapter's been a bit (ok, very) slow, but I thought I'd get in some honest policing._

_Next chapter is going to be extra long, but I should have it up quite soon. Stay tuned._

_Comments, as always, greatly received. Good, bad or ugly I'll read them all and take 'em on board._

_(Ok, yes, before you do all say it, that was by no means my best piece of writing within the fic, I promise, next chapter will, will, be better)._


	23. Chapter 22

I'm not giving anything away… Sorry…

_I'm not giving anything away… Sorry…._

_(P.S. sorry it's been a long time since the last update)_

Chapter 22

"_I think the real 'Gene Hunt' has been out of the loop for long enough for us not to worry,_

_Gene Hunt has been out of the loop,_

_Out of the loop,_

_Out of the loop…"_

Morgan's voice coiled around Gene consciousness waking him with a start.

"Bloody headache." Gene said aloud to no one through the darkness.

"He'll come knocking. Who's there? Ready or not, ready or not." The yellow girl swam into view through the gritty grey of the room.

"Who?" Gene demanded.

"Ready or not. It's coming, coming. Coming, come'in." She giggled at her play on words.

"Six feet under, Bashed your head, frostbite creeping, are you not dead?"

Gene could hear heart monitor bleeps getting louder and louder until he wasn't sure if they where inside his head or the only sound in the world that stretched out and buzzed as a storm fly drone.

"Gene! DI Hunt!"

Gene woke with a start to a voice coming from out in the hallway. Dragging himself out of bed, he felt his wrist for a pulse, still there. Staggering to the door he opened it to find a scruffy DCI Tyler dressed in a creased shirt, dark jeans and leather jacket, staring wide-eyed back at him.

"You look like you've been through a 'edge backwards." Gene said.

"Never mind that! Morgan's gone missing." Sam said, frantic.

"Bloody 'ell." Gene exclaimed before dashing back into his room to get himself into a fitter state of dress.

Barely a minute later Gene stumbled back out of his room after throwing on the first items of clothing he could find. Sam moved off down the corridor leaving Gene to jog briskly to catch up.

"How in the hell did that happen?!" Gene demanded.

"We're about to find out." Sam retorted as they headed outside and Gene realised it was still night, four O'clock at the most. The pair got into Sam's car, Gene once again driving and headed towards the station at break-neck speed.

"No need to be manic!" Sam said clinging on for dear life to the door handle.

"Shut up y'puff." Gene replied and Sam was taken aback.

_Are we back to day one or something?_

"I'd expect more respect from you, _Hunt_." Sam barked back, before closing his eyes as Gene cut-up a car he was over taking with barely inches to spare.

They pulled up outside A Division and just about ran the distance to the entrance. They headed over to a bewildered Desk Sergeant who Gene promptly grabbed by the lapels.

"What the bloody hell do you think you where playing at?!" Gene demanded as Sam tried to restrain the clearly stronger man as best he could. Gene gave the Officer a stare down before letting go and storming away. Sam paused, before chasing after Gene.

"What the hell is with you?" Sam demanded, finding Gene sat at a table in a deserted canteen. Getting no reply Sam moved closer to find Gene shivering profusely.

"You alright?" Sam asked.

"'Course I'm not bloody alright." Gene spat, "Hell, I feel like I'm dying." Sam reached out and gingerly touched one of Gene's hands that lay on the table, Gene pulled away quick, muttering..

"You're burning up Gene." Sam said, "You should go home."

"Don't you think I don't want to?!" Gene declared and Sam realised what he meant.

"What ever you decide to do, I'll be finding an escaped criminal." Sam said heading for the door. Pulling himself to a shaking stand Gene moved to follow.

"You should dress like less of a puff more often Tyler, makes you more ballsy."

Sam spoke a quick word to the Desk Sergeant then turned to Gene who clung to the desk for support.

"Where to start?" Sam said to Gene and Gene began to shrug but stopped.

"If I where to spring Morgan from jail I'd be someone we hadn't identified yet!" Gene said with a grin.

"The man in the CCTV footage?" Sam asked.

"We it's worth a try. Got a picture from the film?"

"I'll get it." Sam replied jogging off up the stairs to his office.

_Hurry back_, Gene thought, _or you might have a dead detective on your hands._

Agonisingly long minutes later Sam remerged and presented the photo to the Sergeant. A quick nod was all the detectives needed who dashed quickly out to the car.

"Y'know, it's sort of useless driving if we don't know where to go." Sam commented.

"The canal." Gene said.

"What?" Sam retorted as they drove away. Sam worried as he looked at Gene's face in the amber lamp glow that flickered as they drove. Gene's eyes where manic, his hair matted with sweat.

"Let's just assume that criminals always return to the scene of the crime, or in his case, arrest."

"Bloody hell Gene!" Sam exclaimed, but continued no further for fear of being shot down by Gene's stare.

"Why've we stopped here?" Sam asked, confused as Gene pulled the car up on Queen Mary road.

"I need to get something." Gene said, getting out of the car and heading for the building.

Gene rushed into his flat he grabbed his relatively recently adopted gun from the sideboard as he left his room he spotted the yellow girl. Gene looked at his hand, gun still there, and screwed up his face in confusion.

"How are you here?" Gene demanded.

"Look before you leap." The girl advised.

"What?!"

"In the deep below, you see facets of yourself, it's wrong to think it's only seven years of bad luck for breaking a mirror."

"It's just bloody riddles with you." Gene shouted at her.

"Gene?!" Sam's voice asked and Gene spun around to find Sam in the doorway. Turning back, Gene couldn't see the girl anywhere and felt himself flush hot with anger or embarrassment he couldn't tell which.

"Are you ok?" Sam asked noting with a hand wave that Gene was once again shivering.

"What am I? Some sort of ponce. Of course." Gene retorted, stuffing the gun into the back of his trouser waist under his jacket before barging past Sam to leave the room.

"Is _that_ necessary?!" Sam asked but got no reply.

The detectives pulled up by the canal to find that their car wasn't the only one. Sam swore under his breath, this was turning more sinister by the minute.

"I'll call for back up." Sam said.

"Suit yourself." Gene said and Sam quickly made the call.

Getting out quietly, Gene pulled his gun and Sam picked up a metal pipe for the ground, he'd forgotten any sort of truncheon or gun. The pair followed along a wall in the shadows until they spotted a definite outline of Morgan plus goons.

"Now what?" Gene asked and Sam swore.

"Are you telling me you've no idea?" Sam snapped under his breath and Gene shrugged.

"What's the worst that can happen?"

"We end up dead." Sam replied and Gene shrugged,

"Good point."

"Wait." Gene said before stepping out into the light. "Oi! Morgan!" Gene called out toward the figures that turned in response to Gene's voice.

"_Hunt_. So glad you got the message." Morgan said slyly and it made Sam's skin crawl to hear it.

"Most cryptic post-it note I've ever seen. Lucky I'm such a twenty-four carat detective." Gene replied heading towards Morgan in barely four long strides.

"You alone?" One of Morgan's men asked, the man Gene recognised from the CCTV footage, and Gene nodded.

"Brave." Morgan said raising a hand, "and stupid."

"Shit." Gene said under his breath before stepping forward half a pace and kneeing Morgan just before two men with guns opened fire.

"Sam!" Gene called as he dove for cover behind a wall that made up part of a small bridge that went over the canal. Sam quickly obliged by stepping into the open long enough to attract attention away from Gene so Gene could shoot. Sam ducked behind some crates and called out,

"Now what?!" From where Sam hid he could just about see Gene on one side, and Morgan and his goons on the other. The two that had guns, Gene had shot down and those without moved in to collect them up.

"Drop 'em." Sam said, raising the pipe like a racket to serve as he stood up and to his surprise all but Morgan stepped away.

Gene stood up and moved towards Morgan who paced towards Gene so they met at the foot of the bridge pathway. Sam came around the back of Morgan, and throwing the pipe into the water pulled out from his pocket a set of handcuffs, which Sam reasoned would be more useful by far at that point in time.

"Was that you're attempt at escape 'cos to be honest, not impressed." Gene said stepping up several of the steps onto the bridge as if to make a point about authority. Morgan followed and Sam trailed until they reached the highest point of the bridge, metres above the surface of the canal water. The low walls on both sides gave an almost unobstructed view of the jet black water below that failed to reflect the stars.

Sam moved in behind Morgan and Gene nodded before Sam clipped one part of the cuffs onto Morgan's wrist. As Sam did so Morgan kicked out, hitting Gene squarely in the stomach making him reel backwards against the bridge wall. Sam unable to hold onto Morgan with only one free hand stumbled forward as he let go in anguish and watched in horror as Morgan stuck Gene squarely on the jaw with strength he'd not expected for such a man.

As Gene fell over the edge he saw his own tortured expression reflected back at him in the perfect stillness of the water. Gene felt himself fall in slow motion through the air then water, and as he sank his thoughts flicked to the yellow girl's warning, and somehow, Gene managed to smile.

* * *

It had taken him a long time to get back to normal again after that night. He did wonder though, whether in the line of duty things could ever be considered _normal_. Squaring off some paperwork on his desk he heard a knock at the door.

"Come'in." He called out and the office door opened with a creak.

"Fresh cup, sir?" WDC Annie Cartwright enquired before walking in anyway and presenting Gene with a hot cup to replace his stone cold one on his desk. Gene handed the cold cup to Annie and as he did so, noticed a distinct coffee ring on the piece of scrap paper that he'd used as a coaster. Annie turned to leave but Gene called,

"Wait a sec love." Gene said, picking up a biro.

* * *

It had taken him a long time to get back to normal again after that night. He did wonder though, whether in the line of duty things could ever be considered _normal_. Squaring off some paperwork on his desk he heard a knock at the door.

"Come'in." He called out and the office door opened with a creak.

"This came through today, sir. I thought you'd want first look." DI Maya Roy said to Sam offering a piece of paper towards him.

"Cheers." Sam said tonelessly but gave Maya a smile.

"No problem, _sir_." Maya said making sure to emphasize the word _sir_ before leaving but gave a quick smile back for good measure. Maya knew Sam still wasn't himself after they'd not recovered Gene's body and so closed the door quietly behind her.

The paper was folded in two and Sam opened it without hesitation. He scanned over it, then read it again.

_Annual Police dinner for the Manchester area_

_Guest speaker, former DCI of A Division, Gene Hunt, speaking on the topic of policing _

_Then and now: 1973 and 2007_

Sam refolded the paper and placing it on his desk, smiled to himself.

_He got home._

_The end_

* * *

_Well, I hope you all enjoyed that, 'cos I most certainly enjoyed writing it. All comments and criticisms about the last chapter and/or the fanfiction as a whole are greatly received. I'd like to thank all my regular readers and reviewers for being so committed to my work that has got rather long in truth and for all their useful constructive criticism that they have given me._

_Thank you guys!!_

_(I know it's terrible to try and flog the same horse but I'm only doing it once more I swear. Check out for my next fanfiction called _Hunky Dory_, which sees Annie Cartwright comatose and thrown into a situation like no other.)_

_Thank you all once again._


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